


Turn Back from Despair

by sevarix



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Ending, Asexual Character, Black Eagles route, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Jeralt Reus Eisner Lives, M/M, Male My Unit | Byleth, Post-Time Skip, byleth doesn't understand his feelings, it's basically all i am capable of writing, the war ends before byleth wakes up, yes more yurileth, yurileth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:55:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 24,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27393070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sevarix/pseuds/sevarix
Summary: The war ended right before Byleth woke up from his long slumber, with the Adrestian Empire taking over all of Fodlan.After getting the help of Jeralt, Yuri does everything he can to help keep Byleth safe after a traumatic incident. Eventually, they seek the help of their old allies, only to learn that more is going on than they thought.or;A mashup of a failed Black Eagles Route mixed with Cindered Shadows
Relationships: Yuris Leclair | Yuri Leclerc & My Unit | Byleth, Yuris Leclair | Yuri Leclerc/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 29
Kudos: 55





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically a "what if things went wrong" interpretation of a black eagles route mixed with cindered shadows. Also, Jeralt lives because why not. Also with soft yurileth because of course ;) Enjoy....?

The sun was out that day, but Jeralt felt Fodlan was never quite as bright as it had been.

Although the war technically had ended when the empire took hold of the old kingdom and alliance territories, Fodlan had never truly recovered. The people still suffered while the empire struggled to stop its own infighting.

Since that terrible day the monastery attacked, neither Fodlan or Jeralt had been the same. He still felt regrets, still felt like there had been more he could have done. It had only been a couple months after he was wounded by that strange girl named Kronya, and because of it, he was not able to fight at his best. Had he been, perhaps he would at least still have his son with him.

Sometimes he wondered how things would have gone if he never returned to the monastery with his son. He should have known Rhea would only put his life in danger, but he supposed there was no need to dwell on that now. He had survived, and as long as he was alive, he would use his life to help the unfortunate. And in Fodlan’s current state, there were a lot of unfortunates.

“Jeralt, sir!” one of his mercenaries alerted him. “We’re approaching the village.”

He scowled as they approached. Even from a distance he could see the imperial troops surrounding the village. The price of not giving the empire what it wanted was steep, and sometimes deadly.

He and his band of a dozen or so approached carefully, not wanting to escalate the situation too quickly. This sort of thing had become their usual kind of job recently, and each time it made Jeralt angrier.

Just as he had seen several times before, the imperial troops stood guard around the village as the generals and commanders went around harassing the people to get what they wanted. Depending on their leader, the situation could go many different ways, but Jeralt always expected the worst.

“Sir!” his captain whispered beside him. “It’s Metodey.”

He took in a deep breath. It was indeed the worst situation. “Let’s go.”

They had already planned for this kind of situation. His band gathered around him, and together they approached the slimy commander as he gave out orders to his lackeys.

He smirked as they approached. “Oh? What do we have here? Looks like the Blade Breaker himself has come to visit.”

Jeralt glared at him. “You need to leave. Now.”

He laughed. “It is you who will be leaving.”

Just as Jeralt expected, the fighting began. He let his band take care of the lackeys, and focused on hunting down the commander.

Not only was he slimy, but he was also slick. He somehow escaped during the chaos, but Jeralt was still on his tail. With every imperial soldier who blocked his way, he either cut them down or shoved them aside. There was no way he could let Metodey get away.

What he hadn’t expected was for him to barge into one of the village homes. Just when Jeralt expected to corner him, he realized he was the fool in this particular situation. Inside the house was a slew of imperial soldiers, many of them with the armor of a general.

He fought them as best he could, but he knew his chances of success were low. He didn’t care. Any damage done was something. If this was where he fell, so be it.

Eventually he became cornered, and as he considered his next attack, Metodey spoke from behind the wall of generals. He did not hear what was said, but a moment later he saw the flash of magic.

And then he collapsed to the ground.

* * *

Jeralt opened his eyes, only to see the wall of the cell once more. He wasn’t even sure how many days it had been, but he still wondered what good a prisoner like him would be for the empire.

Perhaps they would use him to barter with the villagers? He had grown a reputation with them, after all. His worst fear would be that they would force him to fight for the empire. He would rather die than do that, but considering their vile ways, he wondered what kind of blackmail they’d put him through to convince him.

He was about to doze off again when he heard noise from the hall outside the cell. His meal, perhaps. It was predictably disgusting, but food was food and it was just enough to keep him alive.

The noise got closer, and with it he recognized the sound of fighting. Blades, cries of pain, shuffling feet. Maybe the infighting got too much for this particular fortress. It probably didn’t change what his fate was, though.

Eventually, a group of figures showed up before his cell. Without a word, they unlocked the door and let it swing open.

“Come on,” one voice said. They were all armored and kept their faces hidden, but it was clear they were not with the empire.

Jeralt did not need to be convinced. Maybe another mercenary band managed to make their way through the fortress to save him. Why he deserved so much effort, he wasn’t sure, but he was grateful nonetheless.

He followed the three fighters through the dungeons, until they eventually came to some kind of small tunnel that looked like it would lead to the sewers.

“Meet up with the boss,” one of the three said as he moved the other way. “Should be clear.”

The other two nodded, and then they began their descent.

Jeralt’s legs felt weak after sitting in that cell for goddess knows how long, which only made the stairs feel like they went on forever. Just when he thought they’d arrive to wherever it was they were going, the stairs went further and further down.

Eventually they made it to the bottom, where the stone paving the walls and floors was noticeably different. It seemed sturdier, yet older, as though it had once been a fortress itself that had been buried over centuries. The two soldiers, who he decided were indeed his allies, led him to a room guarded by another, similarly dressed soldier.

“Hey, you did it!” the door soldier said to his companions, then turned and gave Jeralt a nod of respect. It surprised him. Apparently, even these underground mercenaries knew about him. “Boss is inside. Wants to meet with you.”

Jeralt nodded. “Thanks. I owe you all.” With that he entered the room alone, wondering who exactly this boss person was.

At first he was surprised when he saw the person inside. This supposed leader was young, and dressed similarly to the soldiers who saved him, except for the fact that they wore a noticeable amount of makeup. After a moment, Jeralt realized this person looked familiar. He could have sworn he’d seen them around the monastery a few times back when Byleth was teaching there, mostly because he remembered wondering if they were male or female. He still wasn’t sure, but he didn’t care. He looked to the young leader, who currently regarded him with wide eyes.

“Wow, you really _are_ alive.”

“Thanks for the rescue, kid. I owe you. Who… are you exactly?”

“You can call me Yuri. I became friends with your son when he was a professor, so I’ve heard a lot about you.”

That explained the rescue, and why this particular band of mercenaries knew who he was. To think they knew Byleth, though, gave him a pang of sadness.

“So, I didn’t save you just to be nice,” Yuri explained. “I need your help.”

Jeralt nodded. “I did just say I owe you. The empire giving you trouble?”

“I’ll get straight to the point. Your son is in danger. I need your help rescuing him.”

Jeralt felt his eyes widen. “He’s… alive?”

Yuri frowned. “Not for long if we don’t act. How soon do you think you’ll be able to fight again?”

Jeralt nodded with determination. “Give me a night’s rest and I’ll be good to go. Trust me when I tell you I will do _anything_ to help you save my son.”

Yuri nodded. “Good. You can stay here with us. Follow me.”

* * *

Jeralt was surprised at just how much of a city this underground had become. He followed Yuri through the tunnels, finding settlements of people who had escaped the dangers of the surface.

“Hey… um, Yuri, was it?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you… male or female?”

Yuri laughed. “Male, but honestly I don’t care what you call me.”

Jeralt nodded. “Good to know. Anyway, looks like you’ve done some good work down here.”

“Yeah, it’s been rough. Byleth and I had been doing the best we can to help people. Well… before…” He frowned.

“What happened? Did they capture him?”

He nodded, a sadness in his eyes. “Yeah. Not long before they got you. He reappeared about a year ago right when the war ended and the empire took over. He was helping me out here since then. But, it seems like the empire had been looking for him the entire time.”

The fact that Byleth had been in hiding for that many years gave Jeralt a pang of sadness. He only wished he could have been there for him. Although, perhaps it was inevitable that the empire found him. “I have a feeling I know what they want with him.”

Yuri nodded. “Yeah. Me too. Let’s just hope we’re not too late.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: mentions of blood

Jeralt continued to be surprised at how organized the underground was. Apparently it was called Abyss, which made sense given how deep underground it was. But the expanse of it, the amount of people running it… it was like nothing he had seen before.

And apparently, Yuri was their leader.

Not only was he their leader, but he had some kind of intricate plan involving the empire. It was more than just helping people; it seemed he wanted to root out all of those making Fodlan such an unstable place. Jeralt thought it seemed ambitious, but considering the resources he had in Abyss, it seemed a bit plausible.

Above all else, he was glad that Byleth somehow made friends with the Lord of the Underground. It was clear that Yuri was willing to risk everything to save his friend.

As soon as Jeralt was rested enough, Yuri sat him down to explain his plan.

“They’re keeping him in the fortress called Arianrhod. It’s not an easy place to infiltrate, but some of my scouts were able to scope things out. Byleth is being held in the dungeons there.”

Arianrhod. Jeralt had been there years before, and he was aware of just how difficult it would be to infiltrate. Their enemy had chosen well. “I’m impressed you’ve gotten this far.”

Yuri nodded. “Well, I used to live in House Rowe. So I’m pretty familiar with its territory. Part of Abyss goes under the fortress, although it can be a bit difficult to navigate.”

“So we’ll approach from underground?”

He sighed. “Well, that’s the plan. The dungeons will be well-guarded by the best the empire can offer.”

Jeralt nodded. “We need to clear the dungeons before soldiers from the rest of the fortress show up.”

“Exactly. Having you on our side will only help. It’s best to expect that they’ll sacrifice a lot to avoid giving him up.”

Jeralt clenched his fist. Throughout the entirety of his son’s life, he had tried his best to hide him from everyone who wanted to harm him. From Rhea, to the empire, to whoever else, it seemed like he was always just some pawn to someone. “When do we leave?”

* * *

Jeralt began to realize just how skilled Yuri was.

To think someone so young could be so talented surprised him. Yuri did not strategize like a mercenary, or even a soldier. He thought like someone who was trying to survive at all costs, and it especially showed as they proceeded with their rescue mission.

Just as Yuri had described, they approached from a tunnel beneath the famed impregnable fortress. It appeared that some debris blocking the tunnel had recently been cleared, likely by some of Yuri’s people.

Yuri led them directly to a crumbling staircase that would take them up close enough to the dungeons. About a dozen of the Abyssian fighters went up first, then Jeralt and Yuri followed.

Jeralt was not always very good at being stealthy, but here it was necessary. The night helped cloak them in shadows as they snuck through a courtyard and then down another set of stairs to the dungeons.

It was immediately clear that there was only one prisoner being held there. All but one cell had been turned into makeshift living quarters, likely for those who guarded the one prisoner at all hours.

The Abyssian fighters charged in first, creating an initial confusion and taking out the weakest guards. Even in the low light, Jeralt could see the glint armor that only the higher ranks imperial guards wore.

A moment later, Jeralt joined the fight. Yuri had immediately disappeared somewhere, far too quick for Jeralt to even notice at first. He disregarded that, and instead focused on fighting.

The past few years had trained him well against this particular enemy. There were a lot of them, and a lot of skilled ones, but this time Jeralt had more allies. And he had more determination than ever before.

The only way they could ensure their victory, however, was speed. It was only a matter of time before the rest of the fortress would be alerted to the attack, and at that point, there was no way they could escape.

Jeralt cut down the last guard in his sight, turning to see the carnage around him. The Abyssian fighters already began to retreat, likely to scout ahead and secure their escape. Yuri appeared behind him with a key in hand, rushing toward the only occupied cell.

By the time Jeralt caught up, Yuri had already unlocked the cell. What he saw within was something out of a nightmare.

Byleth lay in the center of the cell, his arms and legs shackled to the walls. He wore little more than rags, all stained with dried blood, and he made no movement as they approached.

Yuri knelt over him, releasing him from the shackles with a trembling hand. Jeralt moved across from him, lifting his son from the cold stone floor. He did not want to look at the state he was in now. The most important thing was to escape.

Fortunately, they had been fast enough. They managed to make it back into the tunnel before any of the other soldiers could reach them. Once everyone was safely underground, Yuri used some kind of wind magic to make the already crumbling staircase collapse entirely, sealing off any chance of them being followed.

Jeralt took the opportunity to catch his breath. He gently placed Byleth on the floor of the tunnel beside him, and in the light of their lanterns, it finally sunk in just how horrific the situation was.

Yuri knelt beside Byleth, his expression pained. “No…” he said softly, his voice breaking.

Jeralt grabbed one of Byleth’s wrists, bruised from the shackles, and felt for a pulse. To his immense relief, it was there, although much fainter than it should be.

Yuri gently brushed Byleth’s matted hair out of his face, frowning with confusion. It did appear darker to Jeralt, although he couldn’t remember just how light it had gotten before the war. A moment later, Yuri’s eyes widened, and he placed a hand on Byleth’s chest. “His heart is beating.”

He felt for himself, and to his shock, he felt the heartbeat. It confused him, and made him feel a strange relief at the same time, but right now it was the least of his worries. They needed to get Byleth healing as soon as possible.

Yuri combed his fingers through Byleth’s hair once more, tears falling from his eyes. Then he leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. “You’re safe now, By.”

* * *

The days that followed were miserable.

Jeralt checked on his son multiple times a day, but aside from cleaning his wounds or helping him in some trivial way, there wasn’t much he could do but wait for him to wake. He still wasn’t entirely sure what the empire had done to him, but based on the many new scars on his body, he knew it wasn’t at all pleasant.

At Byleth’s side almost as frequently was Yuri, who still appeared distressed about his situation. It was strange to see his usual confidence melt away into despair when he came to visit Byleth, and it made Jeralt realize just how close they had become.

It was the fourth day now, and Jeralt was making one of his frequent visits when Yuri entered the room.

“Still the same?”

He nodded.

Yuri frowned.

“Do you… think they… took the crest stone?”

“Yes, I think that’s exactly what they did. It’s a miracle his heart started beating on its own.”

Jeralt nodded. “As strange as it sounds, maybe it was the goddess. Never thought I’d be thanking her for anything.”

Yuri tilted his head, his eyes pondering. “The strange thing is that he still has his crest. I’m not really sure what that means, but I’m hoping he’ll be relatively… normal once he wakes up.”

“Well, it’s a good sign I guess.” He shrugged.

Yuri’s eyes suddenly widened, and he rushed over Byleth. He knelt beside the bed, watching his face closely. “Hey. Can you hear me?”

Jeralt stood behind him, watching with anticipation.

Slowly, Byleth’s eyes opened. He stared at Yuri for a moment, his eyes remaining unfocused. “Yuri…?” His voice was weak and strained. 

“I’m here, By. You’re safe now.”

He let out a long sigh. “Good.”

Jeralt moved beside Yuri, trying to keep back the tears welling in his eyes. “Hey, kid. Good to see you alive.”

His eyes widened, and for a moment he appeared speechless.

Jeralt chuckled. “Don’t worry, kid. We can catch up when you’re better. Get some rest, all right?”

He smiled faintly and closed his eyes once more.

* * *

Yuri was surprised to see Jeralt making fewer appearances in Byleth’s room the following days, but he guessed maybe he had finally decided to sleep. He had barely left his son’s side before, and Yuri was surprised he didn’t completely pass out.

Byleth was awake more often now, and Yuri began to make sure all his needs were met. Water, food, new clothes, a bath, and even a conversation or two seemed to help speed his recovery.

Yuri entered that morning with some breakfast for him. After handing it to him, he pulled up a chair beside his bed. Byleth could sit up on his own now, which meant he could at least eat without assistance.

He seemed particularly dazed that morning, and after giving Yuri a few curious glances, he spoke. “Is… is my father here, or was that a dream?”

Yuri smiled. “He’s really here. I found him shortly after… well, after they took you.”

He nodded, then continued eating.

“How are you feeling?” Yuri asked.

A frown formed on his face. “Weak. The pain is mostly gone, but I feel completely sapped of strength.”

“Do you… remember anything?”

He glanced downward, eyes narrowed in thought. “I remember it being dark. I don’t know where I was though. And then there was....” His eyes widened suddenly and then he clenched them shut, then placed his hands on his forehead. “I… they…”

“Hey.” Yuri placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s all right. You don’t need to remember. Just remember that you’re safe, now.”

He relaxed a bit, then nodded. “I’m… glad you found me.”

Yuri smiled. “Yeah. Me too.”

* * *

A few days later, Yuri was just outside his office when a messenger stopped him.

“Hey boss, got a strange letter for you.”

Yuri took it from his hand, noticing how neatly folded it was. “Thanks, friend. By the way, you know what Jeralt has been up to?”

He nodded. “Oh yeah, he’s been helping the others train. He’s really skilled, so it’s appreciated.”

“Good.” Yuri smiled. “Glad he’s keeping himself busy.”

With a nod, the messenger turned to leave. “I’ll keep you updated, boss.”

Yuri entered his office and immediately broke the seal on the letter. His eyes carefully scanned the neatly written words.

_To The Savage Mockingbird,_

_I formally request your assistance. The enemies of Fodlan have infiltrated the empire, and have had the Emperor herself locked away for the past year. This has been the first opportunity for me to ask for aid, and it is you whom I must rely on. I hope this message reaches you._

_If you are inclined to assist the true imperial leadership and thereby assist Fodlan, then please meet with my messenger in the ruins of the old monastery at dusk on the third day of the next month._

_Sincerely,_

_Hubert von Vestra_

For a long moment, he could only stare at the letter. He had no doubts it was indeed Hubert who had sent it, but he did doubt whether he could be trusted. The timing was certainly suspicious, and he wondered if he could have been behind the horrors of what had been done to Byleth.

He set it aside for now, tossing it onto his desk. He would need to think about this carefully. He still had about a week before Hubert’s meeting date. It could very well be a trap, but he could always have scouts sweep the area before the meeting. And the monastery was his domain, even though it was in ruins.

Before he could think on it further, he heard a knock on the door. “Enter.”

To his surprise, Byleth appeared at the door. He moved slowly, but it was clear he was able to walk on his own.

“Byleth! Are you sure you--”

“It’s fine. I’ve been walking more each day.” He sat down, then smiled faintly. “I wanted to see how you were doing.”

Yuri found himself smiling in return. “Thanks. Good to see you getting back to normal.” He nodded. “You came at an interesting time, actually. I just received a message from one of your former students.”

His eyes widened. “Who?”

He grabbed the letter from his desk and handed it to him.

Byleth read it nervously, mouth hanging agape. Then he handed it back, and placed a hand on his chest with alarm.

“You all right?”

“Yeah… I’m just not really used to it yet, I guess. Getting nervous makes it beat faster.”

Yuri chuckled. “Well, I got a bit nervous reading it, too.”

“Do you think we can trust him?”

“I was just thinking about that. I’m not really sure yet.”

Byleth looked at him seriously. “I think we should meet his messenger.”

“I had a feeling you’d say that.” He frowned. “I’m just not so sure. He’s so loyal to Edelgard, that I feel like it’s possible there’s something else he’s scheming.”

Another knock on the door interrupted the conversation. Yuri opened it, only to see the same messenger.

“Got another one, boss.” He handed Yuri the letter, then went on his way.

Much to his surprise, the letter was folded similarly to the first, sealed with the same wax, still without any emblems. “Well this is interesting.”

With Byleth looking at him expectantly, he opened the new letter, noticing a rushed handwriting.

_To our dearest friend Yuri,_

_I would like to apologize for Hubert’s bluntness. Once I discovered he had sent his letter, after I had clearly insisted he rewrite it, I hastily wrote my own in order to correct his folly. You know how he is._

_It is true that Edelgard has been imprisoned. Though she is treated relatively well, she has lost all control over the empire. Hubert and I have gathered some of our friends in secret in order to root out the evildoers, but we would benefit greatly from your assistance._

_I hope you will consider attending the meeting that Hubert specified._

_Sincerely,_

_Ferdinand von Aegir_

With a smirk, he passed it to Byleth. “It appears our old friends haven’t changed much.”

Byleth looked up from the letter, smiling. “I take it you’re convinced now?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I’ll even go myself.”


	3. Chapter 3

There was less than a week left until the meeting, and it kept Yuri awake.

He had given up even trying to sleep at this point. He lit a lantern and lay in his bed, and stared up at the ceiling.

He did trust that Hubert and Ferdinand meant no harm, but what concerned him was how much help they would require. And, most importantly, if they could even win. Now that he knew what their enemy was capable of, and now that they apparently had the crest stone of flames…

A knock on the door caused him to immediately sit up.

“Yuri? Are you awake?”

After hearing the voice, he immediately went to the door and opened it. Byleth stared back at him, his eyes weary and sleepless. Perhaps it was just a sleepless night all around.

“Hey, By. You all right?”

“Can I come in?”

He nodded, and Byleth entered, immediately sitting down on Yuri’s bed.

Yuri sat beside him. “Something bothering you?”

“Nightmares.”

“Is it about… what happened?”

He nodded.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

He hesitated, his expression becoming pained. Then he shook his head. “I just don’t want to be alone right now.”

Yuri nodded. “Sure. But I’m surprised you came here instead of seeing your father.”

“He’s not good at talking about feelings,” Byleth replied. “And besides, I feel closer to you than I do to him.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “Yeah. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. You understand me better than anyone else.”

Yuri smiled. “Glad to hear it.”

“So it’s all right? That I’m here, I mean.”

“Of course, By. You’re my best friend, too.”

They sat in silence for a long moment.

Eventually, Byleth looked over at Yuri once more. “Is it… all right if I… sleep in here? I really don’t want to sleep alone. I really can’t sleep alone anymore.”

Just seeing the distress on his face made Yuri feel sad himself. “Sure. You want me to see if I can fit another bed in here or something?”

“Well, actually…” he glanced behind him at the current bed. “Is it all right if I lie next to you? I promise I won’t touch you or anything. I just… I want to know that someone is with me. That I’m not… alone. Alone in that cell. With…” Tears formed in his eyes.

Yuri placed a hand on his shoulder. “Yeah, that’s fine.”

He nodded, appearing relieved. “Thanks, Yuri. If it bothers you, please let me know. I don’t want to be a bother.”

“I think it’ll be fine. No need to worry.”

* * *

Despite his reassurance to Byleth that it would be fine, Yuri found it quite odd to have someone sleeping not only in the same room as him, but directly next to him.

He realized he had become overly paranoid over the years, but even the slightest indication that someone was in his room while he was sleeping would put him on high alert with a knife in hand.

So, despite the fact that Byleth stayed on the other side of the bed with a gap of space between them, just awakening to the sound of someone breathing still made him jump on occasion.

Ultimately, though, he didn’t mind. Just seeing how much Byleth had been struggling with whatever trauma he had gone through made him want to do whatever he could to help him.

He was just glad that on this particular night, he didn’t jump after hearing someone else in the room. He was about to let himself fall back to sleep when he heard Byleth shifting.

When it happened again, Yuri decided to light a lantern.

Even with the light, Byleth was still trapped in whatever dream tormented him. Yuri gently pressed on his shoulder, resulting in him jolting awake. He immediately sat up, hugged his knees to his chest, and started sobbing.

For a moment Yuri could only stare at him in shock. This was one of the most fearless people he had ever met, fighting more difficult fights and making more difficult decisions than any one person should have to. He never thought he’d see him like this. But Yuri knew very well that everyone, no matter how fearless, could break eventually.

Yuri tried to gently rest a hand on his shoulder, but he flinched. “Hey, By, it’s all right. You’re safe.”

He took in a few deep breaths, then lowered his knees. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right. You don’t need to apologize.”

He didn’t say anything for a long moment, only glancing down.

“Are you all right?”

“I just… need a moment.”

Yuri knew what he really needed. A conversation. A distraction. Something to take his mind off it. “You know, your father’s been helping to train some of my people. So I’ve been hearing a lot about him recently.”

Byleth looked over at him curiously.

“Turns out he’s never lost a drinking contest, and he tells the best stories when he’s drunk. He’s becoming quite the legend down here.”

A smile, although faint, appeared on his face. “That sounds like him.” He relaxed a bit, leaning against the headboard. “You know, he’s been asking me a lot about you.”

“Oh? Should I be concerned?”

“No, I think he’s just confused as to how I made such a good friend. I think he respects you.”

“You think so?”

His smile grew. “Yeah. Well, he did say you seemed a bit strange, but he also said you seemed really smart. And he wanted to know where you learned to fight.”

Yuri laughed. “Wow, high praise from the Blade Breaker.”

He remained quiet a moment, then nodded. “Thanks, Yuri. I feel better now.”

* * *

It was just after dusk when Yuri left for the meeting place. Byleth had absolutely insisted on going with him, even though Yuri knew it probably wasn’t the best idea. At least he could add his own insight to the situation.

Not all of the monastery was in total ruins. A few places remained intact, including the great bridge at Garreg Mach’s entrance. It was there that he spotted a figure waiting. Likely the messenger.

Yuri approached carefully, taking note of the person’s stance. It seemed casual, and not at all threatening. As he got closer, he realized the person was staring off into the horizon, with long, red hair blowing in the wind.

For a moment Yuri stared in confusion. “Ferdinand? Is that… you?”

He turned, smiling as he saw who approached. “Yuri! I am so glad you made it. And…” His eyes widened at the sight of Byleth. “Professor?”

Byleth nodded. “Good to see you, Ferdinand.”

“Are you really the messenger?” Yuri asked.

He sighed, shaking his head. “Well, Hubert suggested someone else, but I _insisted_ that I go instead. How are you supposed to trust us if we send a stranger?” He shrugged. “Anyway, it is a relief seeing that you are both well. I should have known the professor would have hidden here.”

“Glad you’re well too,” Yuri replied. “So what’s going on?”

“As it was mentioned in the letters we sent you, things have not been good in Adrestia. The empire might now control all of Fodlan, but someone else, someone sinister, is controlling the empire.” He sighed. “Edelgard was just their puppet.”

Yuri nodded. “I was wondering if that was the case.”

“We have gathered some like-minded people from around Fodlan to help us take back the empire from the hands of those who seek to harm it.”

“So, another war?”

“Not quite. We hope to work from the shadows and discreetly assassinate those who are pulling the strings.”

Yuri frowned. “That’s good and all, but your chances of success don’t seem too high. We’ve had a few… run-ins with this enemy, and let’s just say that they’re not easy to deal with.”

Byleth nodded.

Ferdinand cast his eyes downward. “That is one reason why we wanted your help.”

Yuri considered their options carefully. If they could track down whoever was behind all this, maybe they could end everything with an assassination. But it was likely more complicated than that. They sought out Byeth’s crest stone, and probably had nefarious plans for it. “All right. I’ll make you a deal.”

Ferdinand looked at him expectantly.

“If you can get more information on who our enemy is, I’ll see what I can do. And I mean good information. Who they are, what they want, what their plans are. I’ll do the same, of course, and maybe between your people and mine, we can increase our chances of success. Do this, and I’ll help. But I refuse to participate in another war.”

He nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. Very good plan. I will talk to Hubert about this immediately when I return.”

“I take it you’re still working from Varley territory?”

His eyes widened. “How…”

Yuri chuckled. “Just a guess.”

“We are indeed. I assume you will be capable of sending us messages when needed.”

Byleth looked at him with anticipation. “Are the others… are they all your old classmates?”

Ferdinand smiled. “Indeed! Among a few others, as well.”

Byleth nodded. “Good. I knew you’d all do the right thing.”

“I certainly hope it is the right thing,” he lamented. Then he looked to Yuri and nodded. “I assure you that we will do everything we can to better know our enemy. I know we will get through this.”

Yuri smiled. “Let’s hope so.”

* * *

As they walked back through the ruins of Garreg Mach, Yuri noticed Byleth had slowed considerably.

“Hey, you need a break?”

He nodded reluctantly, then sat himself onto a soft patch of weeds. Then he frowned. “Do you think I’ll ever recover completely? I hate feeling so weak.”

Yuri took a seat next to him. “Yeah, just be patient with yourself. It’s only been a few weeks, after all.”

He nodded, then went silent.

“Ferdinand seemed like his usual self, even after all these years,” Yuri commented. “The fact that he’s working together with Hubert means they must be pretty serious about what they’re doing.”

Byleth smiled faintly. “I always figured they didn’t hate each other as much as they said.” Then he glanced back downward. “I hope the others are all right, too.”

They sat in silence for a long moment, listening only to the wind. Then, with a nod, Byleth spoke again.

“I’m feeling better now. We can go.”

Yuri stood and offered a hand to help him up. Byleth took his hand and slowly rose back onto his feet.

For a moment Yuri hesitated. Byleth began to continue down the path they were headed, but he did not release his hand. After the initial hesitation, Yuri decided not to think too much of it. Maybe it helped him stay balanced.

It wasn’t until they were back in Abyss, and saw Jeralt rushing toward them that he let go.

“There you are! I’ve been looking for you.”

Yuri frowned. “Something happen?”

“Yeah, some kid came wandering down there, looking miserable. He kept asking for you.” He turned to Byleth. “He looks familiar, too. I think he might have been one of your students.”

Byleth’s eyes widened.

Yuri nodded. “Let’s go.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: mentions of physical abuse

Jeralt led Yuri to his quarters, where this apparent former student had been hiding. Yuri had a few ideas of who it could be, but it still didn’t prepare him for what he saw. He began to realize that not all of their old friends were as well off as Ferdinand appeared.

Huddled in a chair against the wall was Ashe, filthy and bruised. His eyes, sunken from lack of sleep and food, widened as they entered. “Yuri! And… professor!?” He stood slowly, revealing his tattered and dirty clothes.

Byleth took a step forward and embraced him. “Ashe, I… I’m so sorry.”

Tears streaked down his face. “It’s all right. Thank you.”

While Byleth comforted him, Yuri immediately called for food, water, clothes, and a bed for him. In minutes, they moved him to a small spare room with a bed and a meal.

Jeralt left them then, moving back to his daily training duties, while Byleth and Yuri sat with him in his new room.

After devouring the meal he was given, Ashe finally seemed to calm down a bit. “Thank you again. I… don’t think I can ever repay you.”

“Don’t worry about it, friend,” Yuri reassured him.

“Yeah, I’m glad you’re safe,” Byleth added.

“I guess… you’re probably wondering why I’m here.”

“You don’t have to talk about if you don’t want to,” Yuri said.

“No, it’s fine. I’ve been trying to escape for months now. I knew you’d probably still be here, Yuri, so it was the only place I thought to go.”

“Escape from where?” Byleth asked.

“Oh, right. You probably didn’t know. Count Rowe took me in since I’m Lenato’s only heir. He was training me to become a commander, making me fight people I didn’t want to fight, all to make his new imperial allies happy.” He frowned. “It was awful. I was… almost hoping you’d show up, Yuri. And maybe claim your status again as Count Rowe’s heir. Even Gwendal mentioned you a few times.”

Yuri felt a pang of sadness at the comment. “I’m sorry, Ashe. I had no idea… I wish I could have helped sooner.”

“No, it’s fine. I understand. I eventually heard about mercenaries in the area who were against the empire. So I decided to try and get their help to escape.” He hung his head, slouching. “It almost worked, but Count Rowe ended up paying them to get me back.”

“That’s awful,” Byleth said.

He nodded. “That’s when I decided Abyss was my best option. I tried escaping several times after that, but each time they caught me and punished me for trying. Eventually, I succeeded, but then I was alone without food or shelter, trying to make my way here. I didn’t even think to bring supplies. I think I lost all hope.”

“I’m glad you made it, Ashe,” Yuri said. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize what was happening sooner. I had heard you were there, but I assumed it was by your own choice.”

“No it’s fine, really. I’m just glad… I’m with friends again.”

* * *

Yuri moved back to his quarters with a heavy heart. Seeing Ashe the way he was, hearing what he said… it made him feel like a failure.

He should have investigated his situation more. Ashe had always been so supportive of Lenato that Yuri assumed he was happy with his new role. And he had been reluctant to reach out to him in case he now saw him as an enemy. He should have known better.

A hand gently touched his shoulder, causing him to halt. Byleth appeared beside him, looking at him worriedly.

“Yuri… are you all right?”

He glanced downward, reluctant to answer honestly.

“You shouldn’t feel guilty,” Byleth assured him. “You’ve done all you can.”

“Have I, though? I’d been watching House Rowe. I should have noticed something was wrong.”

Byleth shook his head. “It’s not good to think that way. He’s safe now. That’s what matters. I could tell he really appreciates what you do.”

He sighed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Let’s be sure to check on him each day.”

He nodded. “By the way… Do you think Ashe might know something about the empire’s plans?”

Yuri smiled. “I like how you think. It’s possible, but let’s let him recover a bit first.”

“Of course.”

* * *

Each day Byleth tried to spend more time on his feet. It usually involved walking around the tunnels of Abyss, with an occasional visit to the surface, but stairs were still difficult. During his walks, he also tried to keep an eye out of Ashe. It seemed like he had taken to Abyss rather quickly, helping people however he could.

Byleth had decided to take a short rest at the Abyss pub, sitting at one of the tables and watching the people go by. It was then that Ashe appeared, clearly pleased to see him.

“Oh! Good to see you professor. Or, well…”

He smiled. “You can just call me Byleth.”

He nodded, then took a seat across from him. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something. Is now all right?”

“Of course. Are you doing okay?”

“Yes. Much better.” He paused a moment and looked around. “I… kind of feel like I belong here. It’s a huge relief. But, anyway, I’ve been meaning to ask how you’ve been doing. It seems like… your hair changed back?”

He nodded. “I’ve been through a lot. But I’ll be all right.”

“Good. I’m glad you’re safe. To be honest, I was incredibly relieved to see you. I wasn’t sure if Yuri would consider me an enemy, but knowing you and your father were here too made me realize I had nothing to worry about.”

“I don’t think Yuri would ever be your enemy, Ashe.”

He nodded. “I hope so. I just… really admire him. When he was adopted by Count Rowe, I was amazed that another commoner like me got adopted by a neighboring noble house. Then when I found out the sort of things he did to help the common people, I… well, I really looked up to him. Christophe used to tease me about it.”

Byleth found himself smiling. “I think he’d be honored to know you think so highly of him.”

“Oh, I’m glad! I… I don’t think I want to fight anymore, but I still want to help him however I can.”

“Well…” Byleth considered for a moment if it was time to bring it up. “If you have any information on what the empire is planning, you should talk to him.”

He nodded with determination. “Of course.”

An older woman approached the table, smiling at Ashe. “Oh there you are! It’s time to start preparing the meals.”

He stood, giving Byleth a nod. “I gotta go. Thanks.”

Byleth gave him a nod as he left, then decided to continue his walk. When he began to grow tired again, he returned to his room.

He had just reached the door when his father appeared next to him.

“Hey, kid. Got a minute?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“I just… wanted to talk to you for a bit.”

It was an unusual request coming from his father, but he still agreed, and they entered his room together.

Byleth took a seat on the bed, neatly made and barely used. It still made him a bit embarrassed that he was unable to sleep in his room alone like a frightened child, but he tried his best not to think about it. Yuri didn’t seem to mind, anyway.

His father pulled up a chair and sat across from him. “I haven’t really had a chance to talk to you much recently. Just wanted to see how you’re doing.”

“I’m doing better,” Byleth replied.

“Good.” He hesitated a moment before continuing. “I’ve noticed that… sometimes you don’t quite seem yourself. Almost like, you’re troubled. I just wanted to make sure you’re all right mentally also.”

Byleth stared at him, unsure of how to respond. He avoided telling him about the nightmares, about the memories of his imprisonment that he wanted to keep buried, and he ultimately preferred to keep it that way. “A lot has been going on. I guess I’m just worried about everything happening.”

He nodded. “Yeah. Seems like Yuri has some plans to help the people. I guess we’re in a good place for now. Glad you managed to make a friend like him.”

Byleth smiled. “Me too.”

Jeralt smiled back at him, hesitating again before speaking. “You know, sometimes you really remind me of your mother. You have her smile.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I guess… I never really talked about her much. When I first met her, she didn’t really smile much. Much like you, she had a hard time expressing her emotions.” He smiled. “But even though she had a hard time expressing it, she was always kind and sweet. As I got to know her more, she got better at expressing herself. Rhea told me once that she only ever smiled around me.” He chuckled. “That’s when I figured I ought to marry her.”

It was the most Byleth had ever heard his father speak of his mother, and it left him speechless. He sometimes thought his difficulty expressing his emotions was because of the goddess, but maybe he had also inherited it from his mother.

Jeralt looked up at him with a smirk. “I started noticing you smile more back when you were a professor. I guess having friends has helped you express yourself. It’s nice to see.

Byleth felt a faint heat in his cheeks. “I guess I never realized it.”

His father chuckled. “Well, I’m just glad you’re doing all right. But, if you are troubled, it’s good to talk to someone about it. It’ll make you feel better. Doesn’t have to be me, either.”

He nodded. Maybe there was some truth in that. 

* * *

Yuri awoke to a knocking on the door.

It was not a nice awakening. In fact, he hadn’t realized he had even fallen asleep at his desk until he had been jolted awake. How long had he been asleep?

The knock sounded again as he scrambled to his feet. He knew he probably looked a mess, but he still had work to do. As he reached for the door, he noticed a purple smudge on his sleeve, likely eyeshadow. He sighed. He probably _really_ looked a mess.

Despite it, he cracked open the door, relieved to see it was only Byleth.

He looked at him with nervous eyes. “Yuri, do you have a moment?”

“Sure. Come on in.”

Byleth entered, then frowned as he took a better look at him. “Are you… all right?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah. Just… got a bit tired.”

“Is it… because of me? I can try--”

“No, no. It’s fine. I’ve just… had a lot on my mind lately. Trying to track our enemy and all that.”

He nodded, and pulled up a chair across from his desk. “Is there any way I can help? I know I’m still not fully recovered, but I don’t want you to be so overwhelmed.”

“It’s all right. With Ferdinand’s help, it’s less overwhelming.”

Byleth seemed unconvinced, continuing to look at him with sympathy. “I want to help, too.”

Yuri smiled. “All right, if you really want to. Thanks.”

He nodded. “Good.”

“I assume that’s not why you came to talk to me, though. Is Ashe doing all right? I haven’t been able to check on him in a while.”

“Oh, yeah, he’s doing fine. He’s been helping around Abyss and seems pretty happy. I mentioned to him that you wanted information about the empire and he was enthusiastic about helping.”

He nodded with relief. “Good. Glad to hear it.”

“But… that’s also not why I wanted to talk to you.” He glanced down. “I… thought maybe telling you about… what happened would help with the nightmares.”

Yuri had noticed it had been bothering him more recently. At first he had only suffered about once a night, but recently it seemed he couldn’t fall asleep for even a moment without experiencing some kind of torment. Yuri nodded. “If you’re ready to tell me, I’m ready to listen.”

He remained quiet for a moment, glancing away toward the wall. His eyes looked pained for a moment, but then he spoke. “The first few days they just had me all alone in the cell. Occasionally I would wake to find someone left water or food, but it was so dark and I felt… so alone. I think the food they gave me had some kind of weak poison in it, because it made me feel so weak I could barely move.” He took in a deep breath, then continued. “Then… they tortured me.”

Yuri had guessed that was the case. Still, he felt pained himself just thinking what Byleth likely went through.

“After that, they stopped for a while, and left me alone again. I thought maybe they were just going to leave me to die, but then they came back and started the torture again. But that time… they interrogated me.” He took in another deep breath. “They asked me some things I genuinely didn’t know, but then… they asked me about you.”

Yuri felt his heart pounding in his chest. “They asked… about _me_?”

He nodded. “Because of your crest. They wanted your blood or something like that. But… I didn’t want them to hurt you. So I didn’t tell them.”

Yuri stared at him. “Byleth…” 

“I succeeded, but…” He winced. “They didn’t give up. They’d have a healer come and heal me at the end of each session so I wouldn’t die. And then they’d do it again.” Tears began to stream down his face. “They threatened me, too. They said if I made things difficult for them, when they did find you, they’d torture you, too. They described in detail what they would do to you in front of me if I didn’t tell them what I knew. I…” He placed a hand over his eyes and sobbed.

Yuri could only stare at him with shock for a moment, feeling tears wet his own cheeks. Then he stood, and pulled Byleth into an embrace. He continued sobbing into Yuri’s shoulder.

Yuri pulled him close, failing to stop his own tears. “Byleth, listen to me. Don’t ever put yourself in that kind of a situation just for my sake. I’m not worth that much pain. I promise you, I’m not worth that. Your life is more important than mine could ever be.”

Byleth took in a few calming breaths, then hugged him back. “No, it’s not. Yuri, you do so much for everyone. I’m just… a failure. I was _asleep_ during the war. And now I’m practically useless.”

“You’re not useless,” Yuri told him. “And you’re not a failure. You mean so much to so many people. You got captured _because_ you were trying to help people.”

He remained quiet for a moment, his breathing becoming calmer. Then he released Yuri from his embrace and looked at him sheepishly. “I guess you’re right. But… Yuri, you mean a lot to me. I really care about you. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. I couldn’t let them hurt you.”

That one left him speechless, and for a moment he only blinked. He had people in Abyss who were loyal to him, and who would probably willingly die for him even though he explicitly forbade it. But what Byleth described wasn’t just loyalty… it was something more. It was a level of compassion no one had given him before, aside from his own mother. “That means a lot to me,” he said finally. “Thank you. But just know that I care about you, too. I don’t want my best friend getting hurt either.”

He nodded. “Thanks for listening. I know… it was probably difficult to hear. But I feel a bit better now.”

“Good. And I’m always willing to listen.”

He smiled. “Now that that’s over, maybe you can tell me how I can help. To get my mind off it a bit.”

Yuri smiled back at him. “Of course.”


	5. Chapter 5

Jeralt was heading back to his room when he heard shouting.

He turned, seeing Abyssian guards shuffling around with weapons drawn. By instinct, Jeralt drew his own blade and followed. It didn’t take him long to figure out what was going on. After turning the corner, he saw the skirmish that had started.

The intruders wore no recognizable armor, but Jeralt knew who they were. The way they fought gave them away as imperial soldiers. He did not hesitate cutting them down. Once the threat was gone, at least for a while, he moved immediately toward Byleth’s room.

When he got there, the door was unlocked and no one was inside. Some of Byleth’s belongings were also missing. He tried to assure himself that maybe he was just hiding somewhere, but his mind tormented him with the alternative.

Just when he was about to go searching elsewhere, he heard a voice from behind.

“Oh, there you are!”

He turned to find Ashe staring back at him. “Where’s Byleth?”

“He escaped right when the intruders came. Yuri went with him.” He nodded with determination. “Yuri told me to keep on eye on Abyss while he was gone.”

“Are there more intruders?”

He glanced down nervously. “Yeah. I’ve been trying to help evacuate people, but I was hoping you could help me with keeping them safe.”

Jeralt’s first reaction was to go find Byleth and make sure he was safe, especially since he was still weak. But he knew he would likely be safe if Yuri was with him, and he also realized his own talents were better served helping people flee danger. “All right. Let’s go.”

* * *

Yuri wanted to make it farther before taking a break, but Byleth looked like he was about to collapse.

He opted to move into the thick wooded area to let Byleth catch his breath. There, they found a place to rest at the base of a large tree. Byleth sat against the trunk, panting with exhaustion.

After doing a quick scout of the area, Yuri sat beside him.

“Sorry, Yuri,” he said between breaths. “I’m still so… weak.”

“Don’t worry about it. We’re safe for now.”

“I’m also sorry about Abyss.”

Yuri shook his head. “You did nothing wrong. They would have found their way down there eventually.”

“I’m pretty sure they were just looking for me. Probably you, too.”

It seemed likely, but Yuri didn’t want to think of the details at the moment. The important thing was that they made it out in time.

Byleth placed a hand against his chest, then sighed with frustration. “I’m still not used to my heart being like this. It still feels like it’s going to beat out of my chest.”

“Just relax. Your body is just overworked from all that walking.”

With a nod, he leaned his head against Yuri’s shoulder and closed his eyes.

For a long moment, Yuri remained still, listening to Byleth’s breathing calm.

“Where are we headed?” Byleth asked softly.

“I figured we’d go visit your old students in Varley territory.”

“Good. I hoped you’d say that.”

“Not really anywhere else safe at the moment.”

After another long moment, Byleth sat up again. “I think I’m ready to keep going. My heart feels normal now, I think.”

“All right.” Yuri stood, then offered Byleth a hand to help him. Once he was back on his feet, they gathered their supplies and headed back for the road.

“I’ll try my best to keep going this time,” Byleth said.

Yuri offered him a reassuring smile and placed a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll get through this together. No need to push yourself.”

Byleth smiled faintly in return, then paused, placing a hand on his chest.

“You all right?”

He blinked for a moment. “My heart started beating fast again. I’m not sure why.”

Yuri chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. I think you’ll be fine.”

* * *

When imperial soldiers began appearing on the road, they opted to cut through another forest.

Byleth felt exhausted. This was probably the most he had walked in weeks, and he was not prepared for how difficult it would be. He hated feeling so weak. Not only could he no longer fight to protect people, but he could barely function like a normal person without feeling exhausted. Despite what Yuri had assured him days prior, he felt entirely useless and knew he was only a burden to those around him.

He tried his best to keep pushing forward since daylight was quickly running out, but eventually Yuri stopped him.

“You need to rest?”

He was so out of breath he couldn’t even speak.

Yuri took him by the arm and guided him to a spot to sit down. After sitting, he glanced back from where they had come. The monastery loomed from its high perch, more distant than Byleth had anticipated. At least they were moving at a somewhat decent speed.

Just as he was beginning to catch his breath, he turned to Yuri. He sat with his eyes downcast and tired. Any semblance of confidence was gone, replaced with hopelessness.

Byleth gently touched his shoulder. “Are you doing all right?”

He looked up with surprise, then nodded. “I’m fine.”

“I don’t think you are.”

He sighed. “I’ve got no right to complain after what you’ve been through. I promise I’ll be fine.”

Byleth looked at him seriously. “Yuri. You said we’d get through this together. If something is wrong, you should tell me.”

He nodded with reluctance. “I just… kind of feel like I failed everyone. That it was foolish of me to think I could make a difference in a place like this.”

Byleth frowned. “But, you’ve done so much for everyone.”

He crossed his arms. “But in the end, people just suffered again.” He glanced down, his voice softening. “And everyone thinks so highly of me, when really I’m just a fool leading everyone to despair. I don’t really deserve their respect.”

“I don’t think that’s true,” Byleth replied. “You actually care about people. That alone is helpful.” He sighed. “If anyone’s a failure, it’s me. I’ve just been a pawn my whole life. Just a vessel for the crest stone. That was my only worth. I’m just a useless burden now. I can’t even fight.”

Yuri looked up at him with shock. He paused a moment, long enough that Byleth thought he would agree with the statement. But then he spoke. “You’re worth a lot more than your ability to fight, Byleth. I know you were probably raised to think that way, but you can’t think that way anymore. Your students liked you not because you could fight, but because of how you treated them. And I didn’t become your friend because you could fight.”

Byleth pondered on that for a moment. It was true that his entire life was measured in his ability to fight, but perhaps Yuri was right. Perhaps he let his ability to fight define him too rigidly. “Thanks, Yuri,” he replied softly. “You always manage to do this.”

“Do what?”

“Make me feel better. Most people just saw me as a mercenary, or a professor, or even just a goddess vessel. Even my father has a hard time seeing me for who I really am. But not you. You value me for who I am. You understand my emotions better than I do sometimes. You always know how to cheer me up.” He smiled. “That’s why I like being your friend.”

Yuri blinked at him for a moment without a word. Byleth was beginning to think maybe he said something wrong, but then he smiled, his face flushing slightly. “Thanks, By. I’m glad you feel that way.”

* * *

It was night by the time they made it to House Varley, but Byleth wasn’t feeling quite as fatigued. In fact, he felt better than he had during the entire trip. Maybe it was due to his mood, but whatever the case, he was relieved.

At first the estate seemed abandoned. The hedges were overgrown, weeds overtook what was once a flowerbed, and there were no guards in sight.

“You think they’re actually here?” Byleth asked.

He paused in thought for a moment, then shrugged. “Might as well knock.”

They approached the door, lanterns in hand, and knocked. After a moment of silence, Yuri knocked again, this time with greater force.

Just when Byleth was about to suggest they give up, the door creaked slowly open. A tall figure appeared in the door way, glaring at them intently.

“Hey Hubert,” Yuri said. “It’s just us. Mind if we stay here a while?”

Hubert sighed. “Why are--”

“Is that Yuri?!” another voice came from behind Hubert. “Let him in, Hubert!”

“Fine, yes, I was getting to that,” Hubert said over his shoulder. Then he gestured for them to enter.

Yuri stepped in first, immediately locked in an embrace by Bernadetta. He chuckled softly. “Hey there, Bernadetta. It’s been a while.”

She took a step back and then noticed Byleth. “Professor! You really _are_ alive!”

Hubert shook his head. “You didn’t believe Ferdinand?”

“Well, I… I had to see it for myself.”

Byleth smiled. “I take it you’re Count Varley, now?”

She nodded nervously. “Well I guess. They don’t really care about my territory much anymore, so that’s why we’re hiding here.”

“You don’t worry about anyone attacking you here?” Yuri asked.

“Most people think it’s abandoned. But Hubert deals with anyone suspicious.”

“Pardon me for asking,” Hubert said. “But might I ask why you are here?”

“We had to escape Abyss,” Yuri explained. “This seemed like the best place for us to go.”

“Is it all right if we stay here a while?” Byleth asked.

“Yes, it’s fine,” Hubert replied.

“You can stay as long as you like,” Bernadetta added. “And maybe… help us out a bit.”

“Of course,” Yuri said.

* * *

Byleth sat up in the bed, trying to wake himself up. The sun was already beaming through the window in the small room they were given, but he still did not feel completely rested. Although, that had been the case for a few weeks now, he supposed.

Yuri was already up, preparing for the day. He had already put on his nicer clothes, likely since they would be meeting with everyone that day.

“Good morning,” Yuri said, handing Byleth a warm cup of tea.

He smiled at the gesture. “Thanks.” He took a sip while Yuri prepared some for himself. “Do you think… Hubert trusts us?”

He chuckled. “No. Not entirely, at least. I think asking me for help was his last resort.” He shrugged. “But now that I showed up here… who knows. At least Bernadetta is on my side.”

Byleth smiled. “That’s for sure. Ferdinand, too, it seems.”

“Yeah,” Yuri said, moving to sit at a table against the wall. “I’m glad he’ll be at the meeting today.”

“Do you know who else is here?”

He propped a small mirror up on the table and picked up a few small brushes. “Linhardt and Dorothea. Apparently Caspar and Leonie are out patrolling.”

Byleth took a moment to finish his tea while he watched Yuri carefully apply makeup. He had come to realize it was something important to him, and wasn’t just something he did to appear attractive to anyone.

“Hey… Yuri…”

“Yeah?”

“Why do you like wearing makeup? I mean, it looks good on you. But I was just curious what your reason was.”

He let out a short laugh. “It adds to my charm.” Then his expression grew more serious. “Honestly, though, it just makes me feel… more comfortable I guess. I don’t like appearing overly masculine, so it helps dampen that a bit without being too feminine… if that makes any sense.”

Byleth nodded. “I think I get it. You want to be somewhere in the middle of masculine and feminine.”

“Yeah, exactly.” He shrugged. “To some people it might seem strange, but… that’s always how I’ve felt.”

“I’ve felt like that sometimes, too,” Byleth admitted.

Yuri smiled. “Glad I’m not the only one.”

A few minutes passed, and Byleth got ready himself. He wasn’t explicitly asked, but he knew he should also attend the meeting.

Soon after they were both ready for the day, there was a knock on the door.

“Um, hi,” Bernadetta said through the door. “If you’re ready to meet, we’re also ready. Um, but only if you’re ready.”

Yuri opened the door, causing Bernadetta to jump slightly. “Yep, let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the next chapter will get more interesting


	6. Chapter 6

When the halls of Abyss finally went quiet, Jeralt let out a sigh of relief.

Over a day had passed, and the attacks seemed like they would go on forever. But now the Abyssian soldiers were finally able to relax and take in the damage.

Ashe was already helping the people get back to normal, helping with repairs, cooking, and basically anything they’d ask him to do. Jeralt understood why Yuri put so much trust in him; he was a good kid.

He was on his way back to his quarters for much needed rest when he spotted Ashe standing in the hall with a familiar-looking man.

They both turned as he approached.

“Oh, there he is,” Ashe said with a smile.

The man next to him smiled as well, and it was then Jeralt was taken aback by who he saw. “Aelfric?!”

He chuckled. “Good to see you, Jeralt. It’s been, what, over twenty years since we’ve seen each other?”

Jeralt smiled and gave him a short embrace. “Good to see you, old friend. I guess you escaped all that mess with the war?”

“It was messy, but I managed to survive. I lost my position in the church, of course, which has been a bit rough.”

“Did you two used to fight together?” Ashe asked.

Aelfric laughed. “Oh no, nothing like that. We were friends back when we both served the church all those years ago.”

Jeralt nodded. “He was friends with my late wife, too.”

He smiled. “Ah yes, dear Sitri. I still hold fond memories of the two of you together.”

Jeralt found himself smiling as well. “Those were good times. But, enough of the past. Are you here seeking shelter?”

He nodded. “Yes, indeed. It seems the empire has been more aggressive lately. I’ve helped out Yuri in the past, so I figured he’d be willing to help me. Apparently he’s away at the moment, though.”

“Yeah,” Ashe replied. “But you’re still welcome to stay here. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”

He smiled. “Thank you. Do you know where he went? I do hope he is doing all right.”

Ashe shook his head nervously. “He didn’t tell me where he was going.”

Jeralt shrugged. “He’ll probably be back soon. That kid seems to show up when he’s needed.”

“Indeed,” Aelfric responded. “That is true indeed.”

* * *

The meeting started well enough, with a short reunion between them all. Linhardt and Dorothea were pleased to see both Yuri and their old professor, but Yuri did not take particular note of them. Instead, he focused on Hubert, who looked concerned.

“Let us begin,” Hubert said, causing the chatter to cease.

Ferdinand sat next to Hubert, watching him closely, looking ready to step in if needed. Yuri was grateful.

“First, I wanted to ask about your appearance, Byleth,” Hubert began.

“Oh yes,” Linhardt added. “I noticed that, too.”

Byleth glanced down for a moment, understandably reluctant to share. “It happened after some imperial mages captured me. They... took the crest stone that was in my heart.”

For a moment, the room only stared at him.

“Goddess, I… I don’t know what to say,” Ferdinand offered. “I am glad you are all right.”

“So you’re telling me that they have the crest stone of flames in their possession?” Hubert asked.

Byleth nodded.

He sighed, then turned to Yuri. “Wasn’t he under your protection? How could you be so careless?”

Yuri glared at him. “Do you think I just _let_ it happen? I did everything in my control to keep him safe.”

“He rescued me,” Byleth offered.

“But our enemy now has the crest stone of flames. Do you not realize the severity of this situation?” Hubert asked. “You fell right into their plan.”

Yuri winced. It was painful to hear. “Look, we’re all trying our best. Just like how you couldn’t save Edelgard from our enemy, I couldn’t stop them from taking the crest stone.”

Hubert’s eyes narrowed. “Do not bring Her Majesty into this.”

He glared back. “No. I will. You know why? I know how much you care about her. About how much you’d risk your life to save her. That’s why you’re doing this, right? Well, I feel the same about him.” He gestured toward Byleth. “So when I say I did everything I could, I _mean_ it. Things would be far worse if I cared even a _little_ less.”

The room went quiet.

Hubert stared at Yuri for a moment, his expression softening. “I see. I… apologize for my previous comments.”

Ferdinand nodded, clearly pleased with Hubert’s response. “Please understand that we have been under much stress recently.”

Yuri let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you. So have we.”

“Come on, everyone,” Dorothea said. “No need to place any blame.”

“Yeah, let’s focus on what we should do next,” Bernadetta added.

“Do you still have your crest?” Linhardt asked suddenly, clearly not having paid attention to the previous conversation.

Byleth nodded. “I… think so.”

“Fascinating.” He nodded, then rubbed his chin in thought.

“Getting back on topic,” Ferdinand interrupted. “I would like to ask if you have learned anything new, Yuri.”

“As a matter of fact, I have.” He sat up straight and continued. “As I mentioned before, Abyss was attacked. I think they wanted Byleth. Maybe even me, too. That’s why we came here to hide.”

Bernadetta’s eyes widened. “They wanted you, too?!”

He shrugged. “Something about my crest.”

Linhardt glanced at him attentively. “Wait, you have a crest?”

“Yeah. Anyway, a few days before the attack Ashe appeared in Abyss. You remember him, right?”

Ferdinand looked at him with surprise. “Of course! But I thought… he was fighting for our enemy.”

Yuri shook his head. “Not by choice. He was miserable there, and managed to escape. But before we left, he told me some good information about the empire. Turns out he overheard something about one of their meeting locations.”

Hubert looked at him with wide eyes. “Where?”

“Apparently they meet during a full moon in the Sealed Forest.” He shrugged. “Don’t know if that’s still the case, but that’s all I got.”

Hubert narrowed his eyes in thought. “Yes. This is the lead we needed.”

Ferdinand nodded. “Yes, thank you, Yuri. It appears a mysterious person is masquerading as Edelgard’s uncle and using that appearance to take control of the empire. With luck, maybe we’ll find him at such a meeting.”

“I trust we can count on your for assistance with infiltrating the meeting?” Hubert asked.

Yuri sighed. “I’m afraid not. Abyss was attacked, remember? I don’t have a lot of resources right now.”

“Hubert,” Ferdinand said, “How about we wait for our scouts to return? Then we can try to plan our next mission.”

He hesitated a moment, then sighed. “Fine, all right. Everyone is dismissed.”

Once he said it, there was a nearly tangible feeling of relief around the room.

Yuri immediately stood, feeling a strong urge to go for a long walk around the estate. He left Byleth to chat with his old students, who immediately grabbed his attention in the hallway, and began to move through the hallways.

He hadn’t gotten far when he heard someone following him.

“Hey Yurikins,” Dorothea said as she moved beside him. “That was quite a confession back there.”

He tilted his head at her. “What are you talking about? The thing about me having a crest?”

She chuckled. “No, the thing about how you’d basically give your life for Byleth.”

His face felt suddenly warm. “Oh. That. Well, I meant it.” He sighed. “But not like what you’re thinking.”

She winked. “It’s all right. I know how oblivious he is to things like that. I won’t tell him.”

“I just said it wasn’t like that! We’re just… close friends.” At least, he liked to think that’s how it was. Deep down he knew Byleth deserved someone better than him. 

She laughed. “I’m just teasing, Yurikins. Anyway, I just wanted to warn you that Lin is looking for you. Probably to pester you about your crest.”

He shook his head. “He is relentless. Thanks, ladybird.”

With another smile, she went on her way, leaving Yuri free to continue his walk around the estate.

He decided to avoid the gardens entirely. There were too many bad memories there, and the sun was just way too bright. Instead, he wandered back near the guest wing. He was almost to his room when he heard a voice that filled him with dread.

“Oh Yuri! There you are.”

With a sigh, he turned around, finding Linhardt looking at him expectantly. “Hey Linhardt.”

“I need to ask you about your crest.”

“Is it really that important?”

“Of course it is! The fact that our enemy wanted you specifically for your crest could give us some clues as to who they are.”

He leaned against the wall and let out another sigh. “Fine, go ahead.”

Linhardt nodded, clearly pleased. “So, you’re originally from Faerghus, right? Your crest must be one of the ten elites. It’s strange, because I couldn’t figure out why someone would be so intent on gathering the crests of the ten elites, but then--”

“It’s not,” he replied.

“It’s not one of the ten elites?” His eyes filled with excitement. “Then… what is it?”

“Aubin.”

Linhardt stared at him for a long moment. “But… that crest was said to be lost forever! How… how could you possibly…”

He had a feeling he knew how he got it, but that was none of Linhardt’s business. He shrugged. “As far as I know, I’m the only one with it.”

“This… this changes everything.” He nodded decisively, then started moving back down the hall, much to Yuri’s relief. “I need a new hypothesis. Thanks, Yuri.”

Yuri simply blinked at him as he left, grateful it didn’t turn into some kind of interrogation. With that, he returned to his room, hoping no one else would bother him.

Rooms had become in low supply with everyone staying at the estate, so Yuri and Byleth were given a single room to share, not that either of them minded. It had only one bed, but it was much larger than the one they had been using, so they could remain even farther apart.

He stood by the dusty window looking out onto the grounds below, trying to think ahead. He was hoping they could return to Abyss soon, but considering the circumstance, he doubted that could happen. If they got lucky, Hubert and Ferdinand could take out the man controlling Edelgard during the meeting and let her take back control. At least then maybe Fodlan would suffer less. He could only hope so.

The sound of the door opening interrupted his thoughts, nearly making him jump. When he turned around, he saw Byleth entering the room, eyes downcast.

“Hey, you all right?”

Byleth hesitated, frowning. “Hubert just talked to me about the crest stone situation.”

Yuri held back a sigh. “Was he harassing you about it?”

“No, nothing like that. He just mentioned that Edelgard’s uncle might want to use it to… turn her into another nemesis.”

Yuri frowned. “I had a feeling that was a possibility.”

“He said they might try it on me, too. Since we both have the crest of flames. I don’t really want to think about what would have happened to me if you hadn’t rescued me.”

“There’s no need to think that way, By.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

* * *

That night, Byleth couldn’t sleep. He considered getting up and moving around a bit, but despite his lack of ability to fall asleep, his body still felt tried. So instead, he just sat up in bed, trying to calm his worries.

The faint light of the moon filtered in through the window, almost half full. He wondered if scouts would make it in time to the potential secret meeting, but thinking about it only made him feel nervous again.

His anxieties became much more apparent now that his heart was beating. Although he had gotten mostly used to it, he hated the sensation of it racing as though it would beat out of his chest. Sometimes it happened even when he least expected it, when he didn’t think he had anything in particular to worry about. If only he had been born _normal_ then he wouldn’t even be having these issues.

But then he realized that it was most likely impossible for him to have been born normal. The crest stone was what made his heart work for all those years, taken from his own mother. He still wasn’t sure just how it worked, but apparently it was something Rhea had done countless times before. He sighed. At least he was still alive, for whatever that was worth.

Yuri shifted on the other side of the bed, then slowly sat up. “Nightmares?”

“No, I just… can’t sleep.”

Yuri lit a lantern beside the bed. “Worried?”

He nodded. “It might sound stupid, but I hate how my heart feels when I’m anxious.”

“I can imagine that would be hard to get used to.” He glanced down, his voice softening. “I’ve been worried, too, these past few weeks.”

“Now that my heart beats, I’ve started realizing that sometimes I’m worried without even fully realizing it. It’ll just start… racing when I least expect it. And then sometimes it races when I’m feeling completely content.” He tilted his head. “Is that… bad?”

Yuri chuckled. “I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Just try to ignore it, and let it do its thing. Keeps you alive, after all.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. It’s just strange though because more recently it’s been happening when I’m around you.”

Yuri froze and stared at him. Then he started laughing. 

“Is that… bad?”

He shook his head. “Do you really not know?”

Byleth felt suddenly embarrassed. “No.”

He sighed. “By the saints, how do I explain this without it being awkward?”

Byleth only blinked at him.

“All right. Well, see, sometimes when you have… feelings for someone, that will happen. Just so we’re clear, by feelings I mean romantic feelings.”

Byleth hid his face in shame. He shouldn’t have said anything. How could he be so stupid? So ignorant?

Yuri laughed. “It’s all right, By. I’ve… guessed you’ve felt that way for a while now. It’s kind of adorable how you didn’t even know yourself.”

Byleth kept his face in his hands. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I promise I won’t ruin our friendship. I… I didn’t even know it was possible for me to feel like this.”

“It’s fine, really. If it bothered me, I would have said something by now.”

He slowly sat back up and found the courage to look at Yuri. Just as he said, he seemed unbothered. In fact, he was smiling. Just as he was beginning to feel more relaxed, Yuri leaned toward him and kissed him on the cheek.

Byleth froze, completely stunned.

Then the room went dark once more, and Yuri moved back to his edge of the bed. “Get some sleep, all right?”

Byleth sunk back down onto his pillow, still feeling his heart race. But this time, it didn’t bother him as much.


	7. Chapter 7

By the time Yuri had gotten ready for the day, Byleth was still asleep. He didn’t bother waking him, especially after he had such a sleepless night of worrying so much. Yuri almost regretted explaining Byleth’s feelings to him, especially after seeing his reaction, but it was probably for the best. Maybe they could just both move on from it.

Yuri was only a few steps out of the room when Bernadetta appeared beside him, urgency in her eyes.

“Yuri! You need to see this!” She held out a folded letter.

“What’s this?”

“Ashe sent me a letter. Except I think it was intended for you. It seems really important.”

His eyes widened and he picked it up, reading it with anticipation.

_To Bernadetta,_

_Hi, this is Ashe Ubert. I’m not sure if you remember me, but Yuri told me to send a letter to you with an update on Abyss. So hopefully he’s around. Sorry if this doesn’t make any sense. If you see Yuri, please show it to him._

_We managed to stop the attackers. The people were evacuated in time, and now they have settled back safely. Some of your soldiers were injured, but we are treating them. Jeralt was a big help in all of it, but I think he was a little concerned about Byleth. I think he trusts you, though._

_There’s one other thing. After things calmed down, some guy showed up asking for you. He said his name is Aelfric. He apparently used to be good friends with Jeralt a long time ago. Jeralt seems to trust him, but I don’t. He seems suspicious to me. Especially the way he kept asking about where you were. Please be careful when you return._

_Stay safe,_

_Ashe_

After reading it, Yuri felt a sense of dread. Aelfric. He thought the cardinal had died during the war. What could he possibly be plotting now? At least Ashe could see through him. Yuri knew he made the right decision putting him in charge.

With a sigh, he looked back at Bernadetta. “Mind if I keep this?”

“Go ahead. Seems important.”

“Thanks.”

She hesitated a moment. “Um, Yuri, I want you to know that you can stay here as long as you want. I know Hubert can be intimidating. But this is my house and you’re my friend.”

He smiled. “I appreciate it.”

“Oh and also, there’s tea in the kitchen.” With that, she scampered back down the hall.

He decided to take up the offer and made his way to the kitchen. After picking up a tray with a couple cups of tea and some kind of bread, he moved back to his room to ponder further on Ashe’s letter.

His mind spun with ideas of what Aelfric’s intentions were. Was he trying to gain something from fighting the empire? It seemed likely he was trying to take advantage of the situation, but how exactly was not clear. But one thing Yuri did know was that, despite his appearance, Aelfric was sly. Hopefully Ashe continued to keep an eye on him.

He was about to go for a walk to clear his mind when Byleth finally awoke. He walked over to the table where Yuri was and sat across from him, taking the remaining cup of tea.

“It might be cold. Sorry.”

He nodded, his expression serious. “It’s all right.” He sat in silence for a moment, avoiding Yuri’s glance. Then, finally, he looked up at him with serious eyes. “Yuri. I… want to apologize for what I said last night. It was… childish. I’m sorry.”

Yuri tried to hold back laughter. He even tried to hold back the smile. But just seeing the stupidly serious look on his face as he talked about something so silly made him burst out laughing. Had it been anyone else, he would have thought it was a joke. “I told you, it’s fine. Really.”

His seriousness faded a bit, and his cheeks reddened. “I guess I’m just embarrassed that I have a hard time understanding my own emotions.”

“No need to be embarrassed. Even I have trouble understanding how I feel sometimes. It’s harder for some people than others.”

He glanced down, frowning. “It’s even more unsettling when I have feelings I didn’t think were possible.”

Yuri tilted his head. “You… didn’t think it was possible to have feelings for someone?”

His face flushed, and he glanced away. “No. I… I’ve always been--”

A knock on the door interrupted him. With sigh, Yuri stood. As he passed Byleth, he placed a hand on his shoulder. “We can talk more later.”

When he opened the door, he found Linhardt staring back at him.

“Yuri! I think I figured something out. About your crest.”

“Sure, fine. What is it?”

He nodded. “Have you heard of the Chalice of Beginnings?”

“Yeah, I’ve--” He froze as the realization hit him. He certainly knew about the chalice; it was hidden in Abyss. It hadn’t always been there, though. It was hidden there by Aelfric. The chalice that only worked with blood of the apostles was hidden in Abyss. By Aelfric. Who was currently in Abyss. He smacked his forehead. “That _bastard_.”

Linhardt seemed taken aback by his response.

“Gather everyone. I think I figured out something.”

Linhardt smiled. “So I was right!” Then he moved back into the hallway. “I’ll let everyone know.”

Once he left, Yuri shut the door and placed a palm on his forehead.

“What is it?” Byleth asked, moving to stand beside him.

“Aelfric. I should have known.”

Byleth tilted his head at the name, as if trying to remember something.

“He was friends with your father, apparently. But he was also one of Rhea’s secret cardinals with a hobby of scheming. He blackmailed me into a few of them when I was a student at the academy. And apparently, according to a nice letter I received from Ashe, he’s currently visiting Abyss.”

Byleth’s eyes went wide. “You said his name was Aelfric?”

“Yeah, your father ever tell you about him?”

He narrowed his eyes in thought. “I don’t think so… I mean, he never really talked about his personal life with me. But it sounds familiar, like I’ve heard it recent--” He froze, his eyes going wide.

Yuri recognized the look. It was the look he had when he was forced to recall his trauma from when the empire captured him.

“I think…” He took in a deep breath. “I think I heard that name. When I was in the cell. I think he was in the group of mages that captured me.”

Yuri frowned. “If he was involved in that, I promise I will kill him personally.”

* * *

Ashe made it a point to follow Aelfric whenever possible. There was something about him that seemed off, like he was wearing a mask hiding his true intent. Maybe Ashe was just being overly paranoid, but he didn’t want to take any chances.

To seem less suspicious, he usually only talked to him when Jeralt was around. They would often reminisce about their shared past, and Ashe would simply sit and listen while feigning interest. He figured it was what Yuri would do, at least.

The subject of Jeralt’s late wife often came up. Ashe got the impression that he had never really shared his thoughts about the situation with anyone, and so he opened up to Aelfric about it.

“So that’s why you left the monastery all those years ago,” Aelfric said, nodding.

“Yeah,” Jeralt replied. “I was suddenly terrified of Rhea. I’m still not entirely sure what she did to Sitri or Byleth, but I knew then that I couldn’t trust her. I didn’t even tell Byleth about it until he was an adult.”

“I don’t blame you,” Aelfric said. “Rhea often scared me, too. Despite the circumstances, you could say I felt a bit of relief that she fell with the church.”

Jeralt chuckled. “I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks so.”

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Ashe said. “What was Byleth’s mother like?”

“Byleth takes a lot after her, actually. Not just in appearance, either. She was pretty reserved, but very kind once you got to know her. And her smile was beautiful.”

Aelfric nodded. “I do miss her smile.”

Ashe noticed an oddness in Aelfric expression. His eyes grew distant, yet determined, and for a moment it seemed he was oblivious to everything around him.

“Sometimes I wish Byleth could have known her. She probably would have raised him better than me.”

“I’m sure you did just fine, my friend,” Aelfric replied. “You said he was here with you, right? I don’t think I’ve met him yet.”

“Oh, yeah, he’s away at the moment. He’s had a few run-ins with the empire recently, so he left with Yuri.”

“With Yuri?”

Ashe nodded. “Yeah, they’re good friends.”

Aelfric had a strange look in his eyes again, this time almost that of anger. But then it quickly softened into a smile. “I’m surprised to hear that. I always got the impression that Yuri did not like to have too many close friends.”

Jeralt laughed. “I thought the same about my son. Honestly, I’m just glad he has a friend.”

“Just be careful,” Aelfric commented. “I’ve heard that, for the right price, Yuri would back-stab even a close friend.” 

Jeralt tilted his head. “Really? I mean, I guess he’s a bit strange, but he seems like a good kid to me.”

Aelfric shrugged. “Just what I’ve heard.”

Ashe narrowed his eyes, hoping that Yuri got his letter.

* * *

Yuri tried to stay calm, but the realization of everything was overwhelming.

This time, there was no tension in the meeting. Instead, everyone looked to Yuri and Linhardt with concern.

“So the legend,” Linhardt continued “is that with the blood of the four apostles, Aubin being one of them, the Chalice of Beginnings could resurrect the goddess.”

“And you believe our enemy has this chalice in their possession?” Hubert asked.

“Yes,” Yuri replied. “There’s only one person besides me who knows where it’s hidden in Abyss. Aelfric. The same Aelfric who is currently in Abyss, asking about me.”

“So he wants your blood… to resurrect the goddess?” Bernadetta asked.

“Likely not,” Hubert replied. “If he works for our enemy, I suspect he might be trying to resurrect Nemesis.”

Byleth nodded. “Yeah. I think he was part of the group who took the crest stone from me.”

“Indeed,” Ferdinand added. “It seems the most likely option.”

“So… what is our plan?” Dorothea asked.

“Well, for starters, it’d probably be best if he didn’t get Yuri’s blood,” Linhardt offered.

“Maybe you should keep hiding here, then,” Bernadetta replied.

“No. I think it’s too dangerous. I know Aelfric. He won’t rest until he finds me. I don’t want anyone here getting attacked because of me.” He nodded. “I’ll go back to Abyss and confront him.”

“Are you sure that is wise?” Ferdinand asked.

“At the worst he might kill me and take my blood. But one of my people could hunt him down easily without any further damage. At the best, I’ll kill him myself before he can do anything.”

“Wow you must really hate this guy,” Linhardt commented.

“Yeah. He’s not a nice person. He blackmailed me once into doing some pretty awful things. I’ll never forgive him for that.”

“All right then,” Hubert said. “I… trust that you will not do anything to put everyone at risk. While you return to Abyss, we will see about spying on any potential meetings in the Sealed Forest.”

“After we scout the forest a bit, we’ll send someone to check on Abyss,” Ferdinand added.

Yuri nodded. The plan made him nervous, but it seemed the best option for now. At least Byleth was no longer in danger. “Good. I’ll leave tomorrow.”

* * *

Yuri was pacing back and forth in his room when Byleth returned. He placed a tray of food on the table, then turned to him with a determined look. 

“Yuri. I’m going with you.”

He stopped in his tracks and stared at him.

“I… know I might slow you down a little. But, I want to go.”

“You’ll be much safer here, though. I think I’ll be fine on my own.”

Byleth moved to stand directly in front of him. “Yuri, you protected me when I was in danger. Now you’re in danger. I want to do whatever I can to help you. Even if that just means having someone to talk to.”

He sighed. He did not deserve this level of compassion from anyone, least of all him. “You sure?”

“I’ve never been more sure.” He hesitated a moment, then took another step forward and embraced him.

Yuri tensed at first, but then relaxed and returned the embrace. “Thanks, By.”


	8. Chapter 8

Yuri intentionally moved slower for Byleth on their return trip. He was appreciative to have him come along, but he also didn’t want him to feel like he was slowing them down.

They spent most of their time in silence, taking the most direct route back. The sun was now beginning to set, and the monastery grew ever closer.

It was then that Yuri insisted they take a break, moving into the forest like before, and taking a seat in the shade of the trees.

Once Byleth caught his breath, he turned to him. “I know Aelfric is most interested in you, but please don’t sacrifice yourself for everyone else.”

He almost laughed. It was one of his strategies for dealing with the situation if things went bad, and it was near the top of that list. But when he looked over at Byleth, seeing the worry in his eyes, his mood dampened. “I’ll… try to make sure it doesn’t come to that. But just know that I’ll do anything to keep everyone safe.”

“I get that. But, your life means more than you think it does. Please don’t throw it away if you can avoid it. Abyss needs you. I… need you.”

“You trying to flirt with me again?”

“Yuri, I’m being serious.”

He sighed. “Yeah, I’ll be careful. You better not do anything reckless either, all right? You’ve done enough suffering on my behalf already.” He shrugged. “And who knows. Maybe I’ll be able to just waltz back in there and stab him and this will all be over.”

He nodded. “I hope so.” He went quiet for a moment, fidgeting nervously.

“You all right?”

The question surprised him, only adding to his apparent nervousness. “Y-yeah. I was just… thinking about how stupid I sound sometimes. I don’t even know how to flirt but I apparently do it without realizing it. Sorry.”

Yuri laughed. “I was just teasing you. Besides, I find it endearing.”

Byleth nodded, but still seemed troubled.

“Something still bothering you?”

He sighed, looking defeated. “I didn’t want to bother you about it, but… I don’t really have anyone else to talk to. I guess I’m just still a bit… conflicted about the emotions I’ve been feeling lately.”

“Oh, well, we did get interrupted last time. I honestly don’t mind. I won’t judge you, I promise.”

He avoided Yuri’s glance. “It’s embarrassing. I feel so childish for letting this confuse me so much.”

“What are you confused about?”

He sighed. “I guess telling you about my past a bit will help.” He still avoided Yuri’s glance. “Growing up, I was the only child in the mercenary band. Sometimes when we stopped in a town for the night, they’d leave me at the inn with at least one person to look after me, and the rest of the group would disappear for the night. As a child I didn’t really understand, or even care. They just said it was to get ‘some of their needs met’. I thought maybe they were stocking up on supplies or something.” He sighed. “As I got older, I realized their mysterious disappearances were them going to brothels. I still didn’t really care, but I also didn’t understand why. But then… when I turned eighteen, they wanted me to come with them.”

Yuri wasn’t entirely sure what he was getting at, but the level of discomfort in his expression made him realize it probably wasn’t good. “Did they… make you do anything you didn’t want to do?”

He shook his head. “No. I mean, they still made me go with them, but I told them I didn’t want to do it. They thought I was just being too shy or something, but I honestly didn’t see the appeal at all. In fact, the thought of… doing that sort of thing kind of disgusted me. I backed out and went back to the inn by myself. They thought it was hilarious, and treated me like I was just scared or something. One of them even told me I wouldn’t know if I liked it until I tried it. My father was even confused, and the whole thing made me realize I was just weird and different.”

Yuri nodded, choosing his words carefully. “I’m glad they didn’t… force you. But I know someone else like that. You’re not as different as you think.”

He sighed. “I still feel that way. For me it’s not a need _or_ a want. So that’s why I thought I couldn’t have romantic feelings for anyone. That’s why I’m confused.” He frowned. “That’s why I’m embarrassed.”

“I think I understand.”

Byleth looked over at him for the first time since he began talking. “Really?”

“Yeah. There’s no need to feel embarrassed. Everyone’s different, and everyone wants something different out of a relationship.”

He nodded. “So I guess if I have feelings for someone, I should make sure they’re like me.”

“Yeah, exactly.”

He sighed. “I’m sorry Yuri. I won’t bring it up anymore. I know you probably wouldn’t want to be in a relationship with someone like me.”

Hearing him say that gave Yuri a pang of guilt. “Just out of curiosity… what _would_ you want from a relationship?”

He hesitated a moment. “You’d probably think it sounds stupid.”

“Try me.”

His face turned crimson. “Well… I think it would be nice to hold hands and maybe cuddle.” He sighed with frustration. “That sounds really stupid, doesn’t it? Don’t mind me, I honestly don’t care much about this sort of thing, anyway.”

Yuri chuckled. “I think it sounds kind of nice, actually.”

“You’re too nice to me.”

Yuri felt his heart race with nervousness. He wanted to tell him, he so badly wanted to tell him, but he still had too many reservations. He still thought Byleth deserved better. He knew he probably would get sick of him, especially after he fully recovered. But seeing the look on his face….

“Hey, By…”

He looked up at him curiously.

“I was serious when I said I knew someone else like you. In fact, I’m pretty sure he would want the same things as you in a relationship.”

His expression softened. “That’s reassuring.” He nodded. “I’m impressed that he revealed that to you. I was honestly about to keep it to myself forever. Although, I guess if I had more friends--”

“It’s me.”

Byleth stared at him with confusion. “What?”

“The person I was talking about is me. I’m… like you.” He sighed, feeling his face flush. “I didn’t want you to know I had feelings for you because I was worried you’d expect things I wouldn’t want to do. So I just tried to ignore it. I tried to convince myself that you deserved better than someone like me. I’m still pretty convinced of that, actually.” He shook his head. “Now I sound stupid.”

Byleth stared at him a long moment. “I… I can’t believe you felt that way about me. Yuri, I… I’m sorry that I’m so awkward about this.”

Yuri leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “That’s what makes you so adorable.”

* * *

Night had fallen when they arrived back in Abyss. Yuri wanted to at least be rested before even thinking about Aelfric, so he did everything he could to make their return unnoticed. After giving the Abysskeeper a message to inform Ashe of their return, he went to his room with Byleth.

Despite everything going on, Yuri was glad to be back to the place he called home. Byleth seemed to also; he immediately removed his cloak and sat on the bed.

Not long after they got settled in, there was a knock on the door.

“It’s me,” Ashe said softly, barely audible through the wood.

Yuri opened the door, immediately ushering him inside.

“I’m so glad you’re back!” Ashe said, relief on his face. “Did you get my letter?”

“Yeah, thanks for that. You have a sharp eye. Aelfric is bad news. That fact that he’s here is pretty worrying.”

He nodded. “I thought so. He hasn’t done anything to hurt anyone, but he keeps making small remarks here and there about how you should be trusted.”

Yuri sighed with frustration. “Figures. He wants me dead, by the way. So don’t tell anyone I’m here yet.”

Ashe’s eyes widened. “R-really?”

“Well, he’s no assassin. He’ll probably try and be all friendly with me first, then get me to do some scheme for him, _then_ kill me. He knows I’m useful to him and he’ll take advantage of that.”

Ashe nodded. “I’m worried he might be influencing Captain Jeralt also.”

Byleth sighed, but said nothing.

“Probably,” Yuri replied. “Especially if they were old friends.”

“What should we do?”

Yuri nodded. “Let us get some rest, then tomorrow I’ll talk to him like we’re old friends. Just like he wants. Then, once we find out what his goal is, I’ll take him out before he can hurt anyone.”

Ashe looked at him with determination. “All right. I’ll do whatever I can to help. I don’t think he knows I’m suspicious of him.”

Yuri smiled. “Nice job. I knew I could count on you.”

Ashe regarded him with awe, clearly taken aback by the compliment. “I won’t let you down!” With that, he gave a nod of respect, then left the room.

It was then he turned to Byleth, who glanced downward, brow furrowed. He sat next to him, taking his hand gently.

Byleth offered him a weak smile, but it quickly faded. “I wonder what he wants with my father.”

“Probably just wants him on his side. Aelfric’s a schemer, but he’s not a fighter. He probably plans to use him as part of his plan.”

Byleth sighed.

Yuri wrapped his arms around him. “No need to worry about that right now. Let’s get some rest.”

Byleth returned the embrace, pulling him close. “Don’t die, Yuri.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

* * *

The next morning, Yuri found Jeralt, Aelfric, and Ashe sitting together near the kitchens. Byleth decided it would be best to stay behind for a moment, just to reduce suspicion.

Jeralt was in a lively conversation with the others when Yuri took a seat beside Ashe.

“Well, what do we have here?” he said, smiling at Aelfric. “I should’ve known you’d show up here again.”

Aelfric smiled in return. “Yuri! It’s good to see you again. It seems the empire finally took notice of me, so here I am. Turns out my old friend here had a similar fate.” He glanced toward Jeralt.

Jeralt nodded. “Good to see you back, kid. Is Byleth here, too?”

“Yeah, I think he’s resting. He’s doing fine, though.”

“Oh, Yuri,” Ashe said. “Aelfric was saying how he wanted your help with something earlier.”

Aelfric let out a short laugh. “Oh, that can wait. For now I’m just glad to see you’ve returned safely.”

Yuri knew the look in his eyes. Behind the friendly demeanor, there was anger. “Sure. I’m always willing to help out a friend.” He turned to Jeralt. “Thanks, by the way, for taking care of things while I was gone.”

He shrugged. “It was nothing a blade couldn’t handle. Hopefully they got the message and won’t return.” He tilted his head. “That reminds me, I should be going. Almost time for training sessions.”

“Oh,” Aelfric said. “When you have a break, there’s something I wanted to chat with you about.”

Jeralt looked at him with confusion for a moment, then nodded. “Sure. I’ll come find you.” He stood, and with a wave of his hand, he left.

Yuri smirked. “I didn’t know you were friends with the Blade Breaker.”

“Ah yes, we’re old friends. I guess I should have retreated here sooner now that most of my friends are here.”

Yuri chuckled. “Well, I should be going myself. But let me know if you need anything, friend.”

Aelfric smiled. “Of course.”

* * *

When Yuri had almost reached Byleth’s room, he noticed Jeralt leaving. He moved quickly away, his expression troubled. Yuri hesitated a moment before moving to Byleth’s room.

His door was still open, and he was sitting on his unused bed, his face in his hands.

Yuri entered, closing the door behind him. “Hey, did something happen?”

Byleth looked up, clearly frustrated. “Yeah,” he admitted softly.

Yuri sat next to him. “Something with your father? I just saw him leave.”

He sighed. “I said something stupid again. It made him upset.”

“What did you say? I’m sure it wasn’t that bad.”

He shook his head. “He came in here and started telling me that I should be careful around you. I think Aelfric told him not to trust you, or something. He asked me things like how you treated me, and that sort of thing. It made me a little angry, and that’s when I said something stupid.” He sighed. “I told him I trusted you more than I trusted him. And it… made him really sad. He asked me if that’s how I really felt. I told him yes, and then he left without another word.”

Yuri frowned. This was probably what Aelfric had planned, and it was working. “I can see why that would make him sad, but that’s not your fault, By.”

“I know. I just… feel like I hurt him by saying it. I wonder what Aelfric has been telling him.”

“Probably that I’m a scumbag who can’t be trusted.”

“But I would have thought my father would see through that lie.”

“You have to remember that he really cares about you. I think if there was any doubt that someone might hurt you, he’ll believe it just in case it’s true. Aelfric knows that, too.”

Byleth sighed. “I guess you’re right.” He paused a moment, then turned back to Yuri. “Did you talk to Aelfric?”

“Yeah. It was just like I figured would happen. He treated me like I was his old friend, and I played dumb and went along with it. He did say one interesting thing, though… He told your father that he wanted to discuss something later.” He shrugged. “Could be just another Yuri slander party. But also might be interesting. I’ll see if I can have someone listen in.”

Byleth nodded sadly. “I hope this can end soon.”

“We’ll get through this.”

He looked over at Yuri, smiling faintly. “Yeah.” 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely readers! Sorry it's been so long since I last updated this! I had it on the backburner for a while, but now I have plans to finish it. :) Just a slight warning, there is (canon-typical) violence in this chapter. 
> 
> And as always, I really appreciate your comments!!!

Jeralt cut the training lessons short that day and decided to go for a walk around the halls of Abyss.He couldn’t focus after his conversation with Byleth, and even though he tried his best not to think about it, it kept invading his thoughts.

The past kept racing through his mind, from Byleth’s first steps to the moment he was made a professor. Jeralt knew he probably wasn’t the best father, but his only hope was that his son wouldn’t resent him for the way he was raised. He knew it probably wasn’t best to raise him strictly as a mercenary, but he had few other choices to keep him safe.

But maybe he should have done more. Maybe he should have tried to connect more with him, or maybe he should have encouraged him to have more friends. Maybe he felt like he couldn’t talk to him about his feelings. Jeralt knew he was bad at that sort of thing. But now he almost felt like Byleth was trying to push him out of his life.

With a sigh, he kept moving aimlessly through the tunnels. Maybe it was time to let him live his own life. Maybe Byleth didn’t need him anymore.

It only made him wonder what Sitri would say…

It was then he saw Aelfric walking toward him.

“Hello Jeralt,” he said with a smile. “What brings you to this corner of Abyss?”

He glanced around briefly, realizing he had no idea just how far he had gone. “Just wandering aimlessly,” he replied.

He nodded. “Me, too. I’m glad I found you, though. I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”

“Something troubling you?”

“Well, I… heard a rumor that some of the remains of the saints got moved somewhere down here. And… I heard Sitri might be among them.”

Jeralt felt his eyes widen. “That… would be incredible. I thought since the monastery was destroyed…”

Aelfric nodded. “Yes, it seems someone had anticipated its destruction, and moved important relics and such down here.”

“Do you know where it is?”

“In my wanderings I think I might have a good lead. Maybe tomorrow you can join me.”

He nodded. “Of course.”

* * *

Aelfric parted ways with Jeralt, smiling to himself. Good. His plan was working perfectly. And all those who had interfered would now get what they deserved.

Once he was a good distance away, he moved toward his secure storage room in Abyss. It was hidden well, and he doubted even Yuri knew of its whereabouts. After double checking that no one was around, he slipped into the small chamber. It was there he kept everything he needed for the upcoming ritual. Well, everything save the new addition that he kept securely elsewhere, just in case.

He opened the enchanted wooden box, glancing at the contents inside. Within were three vials of blood, perfectly preserved with magic, even after all the years that had passed. He still needed the last one, however, but fortunately luck had brought him to Yuri once more. If only he hadn’t been so elusive over the years.

In another box was the chalice itself. It still gleamed as though it were new, and soon it would be filled with the blood of the apostles.

With a smile, he secured everything and left the room, moving back to his chambers.

Once he was inside, he locked the door and moved to check on the last piece needed for the ritual. The piece he had been missing for all those years, the piece that his new friends helped him obtain. He only wished he had allied with them sooner.

Carefully, he unlocked the chest in his room, and pulled out an even smaller box from within. Using a different key, he unlocked that one as well, taking out the book within it.

The book was just another vessel to hide his prize in, however. Its insides had been hollowed out, leaving just enough space for his new treasure: the crest stone of flames. He refrained from prying it open--he had made it difficult to so for extra security--and placed it in the satchel he had at his side.

Now the only thing left was the final vial of blood. And, considering how everything was falling into place, he doubted it would be difficult.

As if on cue, he heard a knock on his door.

He opened it, finding the pathetic silver haired kid looking at him nervously.

“Um, hi Mister Aelfric,” Ashe said. “I… did as you said.” He held out a small vile, filled with red liquid.

Aelfric smiled. He decided he liked Ashe. He had been easier to manipulate than anyone he had met before. “Thank you. Did he suspect anything?”

“I-I don’t think so. I did as you said and made it look like an accident.”

“Excellent. You’ve done us all a great service, Ashe.”

Ashe nodded nervously, then left.

He smiled as he looked at the vial in his hand. Yes, everything was falling right into place.

* * *

Aelfric was pleased when he saw Jeralt waiting for him the next day. He had taken the bait just as Aelfric had planned.

He hadn’t lied _entirely_ of course. Sitri was indeed hidden away in Abyss, but the circumstances surrounding it didn’t necessarily need to be known by everyone.

“Oh good,” Aelfric said. “I’m glad you decided to join me.”

“You really think there’s something to this rumor?” Jeralt asked as they began to move through the tunnels of Abyss.

“I think there is a high chance that it is correct,” Aelfric replied. “But… please don’t tell anyone else about this. If Yuri found out, I can’t imagine he’d be happy.”

“Really? Why’s that?”

Perfect. He took the bait again. “Well, Rhea… might have been untruthful about the circumstances of Sitri’s death. Right before the war started, I believe Yuri was her accomplice. And now I fear he might have ties with the empire”

Jeralt stopped in his tracks. “What… what are you saying, Aelfric?”

“It’s possible she might not have… fully died. I understand your son had been sleeping for several years when everyone thought he had died? I believe… it might be the same for her.” It was not true, of course, but it was the simplest explanation to get him to comply. Telling Jeralt that he wished to resurrect her with an ancient ritual might have put him off, or made him have doubts. 

“Are you… are you sure about this?! You think she’s… she’s just been _sleeping_ this whole time?”

“Only a hypothesis,” he replied. “Anyway, we’ll find out soon enough.”

Jeralt was quiet during the rest of their journey. He was hard to read, but Aelfric assumed he had manipulated him enough for his plan to work.

Then, at last, they arrived at the door.

It didn’t look much like a door; to a passerby, it might just seem like a strange anomaly in the wall. But Aelfric knew it well. He had seen the other side of it many times by now. With a quick spell, it swung open.

Jeralt stared at him. “How did you… know about this?”

“Rhea mentioned it to all the cardinals long ago,” he lied. He had, in fact, figured it out over the course of several years, finding just the right spell to pry open its ancient doors.

“Incredible,” Jeralt remarked.

They entered the chamber, lighting braziers as they went. It was a mostly untouched space; the neat tiling on the floor had hardly a scratch, and the columns remained nearly immaculate.

“I can’t believe this exists!” Jeralt said.

Aelfric smiled to himself. He couldn’t wait to see his reaction when he saw _her_. “Very interesting indeed,” he said, feigning surprise. “Oh… what’s that over there? A tomb perhaps?” He pointed toward where Sitri lay.

He rushed toward the altar, and lifted the lid off the casket.

Aelfric smiled as he watched Jeralt’s reaction. First, disbelief, then shock, then tears of joy.

“So it really is true then?” Aelfric said, feigning surprise once more. While Jeralt was distracted, he neatly laid out the chalice, along with the four vials of blood.

“I can’t believe it,” Jeralt said. “She… she looks just like she did over twenty years ago. I… I guess she really was just asleep. I…”

While he continued to stare in shock, Aelfric discreetly emptied all the vials into the chalice. This was it. He couldn’t believe the time had actually come. Once the chalice was full, he took the hollowed-out book and placed it next to it. Then, he moved next to Jeralt.

“Rhea once told me of a way to wake someone from the sleeping spell,” Aelfric said. Just seeing Jeralt’s expression made him want to smile. He was falling for every part of the plan. He actually thought she was _sleeping_. 

“Do it,” Jeralt said immediately. “You have to do it.”

“Of course,” Aelfric said. He grabbed the chalice and placed it next to Sitri. Then he grabbed the hollowed-out book, which contained the heart which had been trapped for so long in her useless spawn, and placed it next to the chalice. He did not want Jeralt to see it just yet, so he refrained from prying it open.

Then it was the moment he had been waiting for. The spell that would empower the Chalice of Beginnings to bring forth the life force needed to resurrect Sitri. He channeled the spell carefully, making sure he did everything correctly. His eyes widened when the chalice began to glow.

While Jeralt was distracted, he pried open the book, being sure to keep it out of his sight. If Jeralt had known he was the one who tore it from his son’s chest, it would ruin all of his plans.

He reached for the crest stone, readying himself for the next part of the ritual when...

He froze. He glanced down at the lumpy, rough object in his hand. It was not a crest stone. Not even close. It was merely a rock.

The crest stone had been stolen.

He began trembling with rage. He had gotten _so far_. So very, very far. And now… _this_. He took in a deep breath to calm himself, then glanced back to the chalice. Perhaps it could still work without the crest stone. Perhaps--

The chalice no longer glowed. Its contents began to sizzle, completely disintegrating into the air.

No, this couldn’t be happening. He had read about the ritual so many times. He knew _exactly_ how to execute it. The only way this could happen would be if the blood was not correct, if it was not that of the apostles.

His eyes widened when the realization hit him.

“Missing something?” A smug voice asked.

He turned swiftly, glaring at the newcomer. _Yuri._ He should have known he’d try to get involved. If only he had been able to kill him sooner. “What have you done?!”

Yuri smirked as he approached. “I think you know what I’ve done.”

Jeralt looked between the two of him in utter confusion. “What’s… going on here?”

“He’s trying to manipulate you into resurrecting your dead wife into being the next Nemesis,” Yuri explained. “Oh, and he was the one who tortured your son.”

Jeralt remained speechless in his confusion.

Aelfric clenched his fists, then tried to calm himself enough to continue the lie. “How could that possibly be true?” He glanced toward Jeralt. “Would you believe this scoundrel over me?”

Jeralt frowned. “I… don’t understand."

Yuri sighed. “I don’t have time for this.”

It was then Aelfric was glad he had friends.

* * *

Jeralt was horribly confused.

He had just found out his supposedly dead wife was not actually dead, and looked exactly as she had the last time he had seen her. Then Aelfric attempted some weird ritual, and now Yuri showed up making bold claims about Aelfric.

He wasn’t sure who to believe, and before he could decide on who was telling the truth, Yuri had stabbed Aelfric and then ran to the other side of the chamber.

“Get him!” Aelfric shouted, hunched over in pain.

Jeralt decided that following him would probably be the best course of action for now, regardless of who his enemy actually was. At first it seemed odd to him that Yuri would flee so soon, but Jeralt quickly realized why.

In the hall just outside the chamber were armed fighters, at least three from what Jeralt could see. Yuri swept one to the ground before continuing to flee. Jeralt had his blade ready, but they completely ignored him, and instead chased after Yuri.

It was then he noticed Aelfric approaching him, still hunched over.

His mind raced with what to do. Should he help Aelfric? Should he chase after Yuri? Or should he try and find Byleth?

“Jeralt,” Aelfric said. “Listen to me. We don’t have much time.”

“What is going on?”

“Your son is in danger.”

Jeralt narrowed his eyes at him. “Yuri just said you were the one who imprisoned him.”

He laughed. “Do you really think I’m capable of such a thing?” He rose, leaning against the wall. “Yuri is working for the empire. He’s been manipulating this entire situation from the beginning.”

He frowned with confusion, still unsure of who to trust, but he decided then that no matter what, he needed to protect Byleth. Without another word, he fled down the hall. He didn’t need to worry about finding his way back. Between the sounds of shouting and fighting and the occasional drops of blood on the floor, he managed to make it back to the main area of Abyss.

When he arrived, the only sign of Yuri he found was one of the fighters lying on the ground. He turned another corner and found him, leaning against the wall, trying to catch his breath. Blood stained his clothes, likely his own, and he looked like he was about to collapse.

Jeralt walked toward him cautiously, and Yuri glanced up at him as he approached.

“Where’s Byleth?” Jeralt demanded.

“I can’t tell you, but I can assure you he’s safe.”

“What the hell is going on here?”

Yuri sighed. “I told you. Aelfric was the one behind Byleth’s imprisonment. He’s working with the empire.”

“Aelfric said _you’re_ working for the empire.”

“You honestly believe that? Was I not the one who saved you and Byleth from the empire?”

Jeralt frowned. “I don’t have time to argue about this. If you tell me where you’re hiding Byleth, then I’ll have a reason to trust you. Otherwise, I’ll assume you’re an enemy.”

Yuri’s eyes looked pained. “You’re not making this easy.” He stood up straight, gripping his sword. “I’m sorry. I can’t tell you where he is. It’s for his own safety.”

Jeralt glared at him. “Then I’ll make you tell me.”

It was clear Yuri was not in a state to fight, but despite that, Jeralt still found it taking longer than he expected. Yuri was fast, and he was being more defensive than offensive.

Jeralt, however, was not the least bit tired, and was full of determination. Instead of outright attacking, he did everything he could to tire him to the point of collapse. He needed him alive, anyway, if he wanted to find out where Byleth was.

After several minutes, Yuri finally had no more fight left in him. Jeralt swept him to the ground, placed a foot on his chest, and pointed his blade at his throat.

“You’ve lost. Tell me where he is.”

“You can’t,” he said between breaths. “You can’t stay here. You need to leave.”

“What does that even--”

“Oh good, I knew you’d catch him,” a familiar voice said.

Jeralt looked up, finding Aelfric walking toward him. He still hunched a bit from his wound, but considering how he had walked all the way back, Jeralt assumed it must not have been that severe.

Aelfric walked over to Yuri, then knelt beside him, glaring. “Tell me where it is. What did you do with it?”

“It’s gone.”

Aelfric pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the thigh. It was not fatal, but it was enough to cause immense pain. It seemed overly cruel to Jeralt, but perhaps it was necessary.

Yuri winced and writhed with pain.

“Where is it?!” Aelfric demanded.

“It’s gone,” he said again, this time through clenched teeth. “We destroyed it.”

Aelfric stood slowly, his eyes full of anger. “Kill him.”

“Shouldn’t we ask him--”

“Kill him!”

He hesitated a moment, feeling doubtful about the situation. Before he could act, he heard a voice from behind.

“Stop!”

Jeralt turned at the sound of the voice, finding Byleth standing before him.

Jeralt’s eyes widened. “You’re… You’re safe!” 

“No!” Yuri said, still collapsed on the ground. “Go, Byleth! You’re not safe here!”

Byleth ignored him, and walked up to Jeralt, eyes pleading. “Don’t hurt him.” He placed his hand on Jeralt’s arm which still held the sword. “Please, don’t hurt him.” 

Before responding, he turned to see Aelfric’s reaction, but his old friend was gone.

“Let him go. We need to leave,” Byleth said to him.

Jeralt was about to put his sword away when he heard more footsteps coming from down the hall. He heard Yuri curse, and quickly realized it wasn’t from the pain he no doubt felt. As he saw the newcomer, Jeralt felt rage boiling inside him.

Metodey. The bastard was still alive. And, even worse, Aelfric was right behind him. It was then Jeralt realized who his real enemy was.

* * *

Pain.

Yuri tried his best to ignore it, but it was starting to overwhelm him. During the commotion, he managed to sit up against the wall, although even that was a struggle.

Byleth appeared beside him, trying his best to use a healing spell.

“You should escape,” Yuri told him.

“I’m not leaving you behind,” he said determinedly.

Yuri figured it was no use arguing. He didn’t have the energy, and he knew Byleth would be stubborn about it. Instead, he just tried to keep his eyes open to see what was going on around him.

Jeralt immediately jumped into the fight with Metodey. Unlike when he fought Yuri, he did not hold back at all. Yuri just hoped they were on the same side now, not that it really mattered anymore.

Yuri started to fade in and out of consciousness. Byleth said something to him a few times, but he didn’t quite hear what he was saying. What finally kept him awake was the rush of adrenaline he felt when Jeralt got knocked to the floor.

Metodey smiled wickedly at the sight of it, then turned to Aelfric. “What shall we do with him until our friend arrives?”

“Thales should be here soon,” Aelfric replied. “He can take all three of them. More puppets.”

A dark flash of magic appeared next to Metodey, interrupting the conversation. It struck again, and this time Metodey screamed out in pain before crumpling to the floor.

“Oh, expecting Thales, are you?” a menacing voice said.

Yuri didn’t need to turn his head to see who it was. He could recognize Hubert’s voice and proficiency in dark magic even when he was on the brink of passing out. He let out a sigh of relief.

“I’m afraid he won’t make it,” Hubert continued. “I killed him myself, in fact.”

“And who are you?” Aelfric asked.

“We are here to bring you to justice!” a new voice proclaimed, this time Ferdinand’s.

Aelfric attempted to flee, then, but it was too late. Jeralt had managed to get to his feet before he got too far. Without hesitation, he put his blade through Aelfric’s back.

“We’re going to escape,” Byleth said to their friends.

“We will keep them out of your way!” Ferdinand assured them.

“I am more than happy to finish this,” Hubert added.

“Thank you,” Byleth replied. “You saved us.”

“And you, us,” Ferdinand said. Even Hubert nodded in agreement.

With that, they went on their way.

Now that the rush of adrenaline had run its course, Yuri felt himself fading once more. He felt Byleth holding onto him, urging him to stay awake.

“Yuri! Yuri, can you still hear me?”

“Yeah,” he managed to say, his voice weak.

“Yuri, I’ll make sure you make it out alive. I promise.”

He had his eyes closed at this point, but tried his best to keep listening.

“We need to get out of here, kid,” Jeralt said gravely. “We can send for someone to take care of him.”

Had he the energy, Yuri would have agreed. Byleth needed to escape. Yuri decided he would be fine, he’d just need a healer to come get him and--

“I’m not leaving without him,” Byleth replied bluntly.

“I know you care about him but--”

“I love him.”

He wanted so badly to respond, to embrace him and tell him how much he meant to him, but he was completely spent of energy. He couldn’t even hear what they were saying anymore. Eventually, he gave up, and finally faded into unconsciousness.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok, I made it to the last chapter! after this is an epilogue, so don't miss it. To the lovely readers who have made it this far, thank you for your support :) I wouldn't have finished this if not for your kind comments.   
> And as always, thank you all for reading!!!

Yuri awoke slowly, realizing he was no longer in pain. For a moment, he was content to remain still, even though it felt like he was lying against a cold stone floor.

“Yuri?”

He felt a hand gently nudge his shoulder.

“Yuri…?”

He opened his eyes, finding himself in a dimly lit room. Byleth was looking down at him, eyes filled with concern.

“Yuri! You’re awake!”

He sat up, realizing that whatever source was giving the cramped room light was an unnatural green hue. “Where am I?”

Byleth glanced downward. “We weren’t able to escape. They brought in demonic beasts, and they started destroying everything.”

Yuri felt his eyes widen. He knew the empire was likely to bring in some troops, but to think they went so far as to bring in their demonic beasts was not something he had considered. “Where’s your father?”

He frowned. “He’s out there. He told me to try and escape with you while he fought back some of the monsters, but I didn’t make it very far. I found this small chamber that was out of the way and hid here so I could heal you.”

That explained the lack of pain, but he was still confused by… wherever it was they were. It was almost like a closet, with barely enough space for the two of them. Various shelves cluttered the walls, though most were empty. He glanced over at the strange orb offering its greenish light to the chamber. “What’s with that thing?”

Byleth shrugged. “Some kind of magic. It’s what helped me find this place. The door looked like it used to be locked, but it was open when I found it.” He sighed. “Anyway, it’s been a few hours now and I’m not sure what to do.”

Yuri was about to suggest that they peek outside, but then felt small tremors through the ground from the beasts passing by. “I guess… we wait a bit longer?”

“I’m sorry, Yuri. I should have escaped when you told me to. But… I…” He glanced away, ashamed. “I didn’t want to leave you behind.”

Yuri placed a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, it’s fine. Honestly, knowing now how things turned out… I’m not too sure I would have made it. You basically saved my life.”

He smiled. “Good.”

It was then Yuri noticed a small chest sitting on one of the shelves. It was unassuming, except for the emblem carved onto it. Yuri recognized it immediately: the symbol of the cardinals from the church of Seiros. Without another thought, he reached over and grabbed it, placing it in his lap.

“I already tried opening it,” Byleth said. “It’s the only interesting thing in here, aside from the light.”

“By, do you know what this symbol is?”

He frowned. “A church thing?”

“The cardinals. And there’s only one cardinal I know of who ever came to Abyss.”

Byleth’s eyes widened. “Aelfric.”

Yuri nodded. “Looks like you found his secret room. I searched ages to find out where he hid the blood vials.” He sighed. “That bastard was sneakier than I thought.”

“What do you think is inside?”

Yuri drew a knife from his belt. “I don’t know, but I really want to find out.”

After spending a few minutes attempting to pry it open with the knife, the lid finally released. Yuri lifted it off, finding two books inside.

With a closer look, he realized they were likely journals. One was thick and worn, filled with bookmarks, while the other seemed newer.

Byleth regarded it in shock. “That’s… that’s my father’s journal!” He lifted the worn book from the chest, holding it in the dim light. “I’d recognize it anywhere. He would always write in it when I was a kid. He never used bookmarks, though” He immediately opened it, and began turning the pages.

“I wonder why Aelfric had it,” Yuri said as he watched Byleth flip through the bookmarked pages.

Byleth looked suddenly very uncomfortable. “All the bookmarked pages are things my father wrote about my mother. It looks like… Aelfric wrote notes in the margins.”

“Goddess, I knew he was a bit demented, but I didn’t realize he was _that_ demented. I’m glad your father was the one to take him out.”

Byleth flipped the pages until he was near the end of the book, completely free of bookmarks. “Yeah. I think my father will want this back, even still. It looks like the last entry was right after the war started. He must have left it behind in the monastery.” Byleth flipped through the pages a bit more, then frowned.

“You all right?”

“I just… never realized how much he wrote about me. He writes as though he was telling my mother about me. Since she never knew me. Like this.” He held up the book and read one of the entries. “ _Dear Sitri, It looks like our son has taken to his role as a professor very well. It’s the most I’ve seen him smile in a long time. He really does have your smile.”_ Byleth paused after reading. “He… never forgot about her.”

Yuri found himself feeling stronger emotions than he was expecting. “That’s… really touching, actually. I’m glad you found it again.” Then he looked back in the box at the other, smaller journal. “Is this your father’s, too?”

Byleth inspected it a moment, then shook his head. “I’ve never seen this before. I don’t recognize the handwriting either.” He handed it to Yuri.

Yuri only had to look at a few pages to realize what it was. “Looks like this was Aelfric’s journal.” He flipped through it a bit, wondering if there was any useful information contained within. After skipping past various demented rambles that he did not want to even look at, he found some notes that mentioned the empire. They were hastily written in short fragments, but he saw notes about Thales, the crest stone of flames… basically everything Yuri already knew.

But then, on the next page, he found something that he wasn’t expecting.

“Did you find something?” Byleth asked.

Yuri blinked a moment, then re-read the page. “According to this… Edelgard was killed after trying to resist.”

Byleth nodded, eyes downcast. “I had a feeling that was the case.”

“Also… it looks like they’re _really_ desperate for the crest stone. Maybe that’s why they’re tearing up Abyss.”

Byleth frowned. “We can’t stay here for much longer.”

Yuri sighed. “Yeah. Time’s running out.”

“Should we… just try to run? I haven’t heard a beast pass by in a while.”

“I think that might be our only option at this point.” He stood slowly, hoping that he still had enough energy to stand let alone run.

Byleth stood beside him, placing the journal in his satchel. “Will you be all right?”

He nodded. “Thanks to your healing, I think I will.”

Byleth nodded in return. “Good. I guess once we open the door--”

“Um, wait,” Yuri said, feeling suddenly a bit nervous. “I… well, I heard you say something earlier that I didn’t get to respond to.”

Byleth looked at him curiously.

Yuri smiled at him. “I love you too, By.”

Byleth immediately tensed. “You… you heard that?” 

He chuckled. “Was it supposed to be a secret?”

Byleth blinked at him, face turning crimson. “N-no, I just… I…” His nervous stammering stopped when Yuri kissed him on the cheek.

“Come on, By,” Yuri said, taking his hand. “Let’s get out of here.”

* * *

Jeralt was amazed when he reached the surface.

For a while, he never thought he’d see the sun again. To think the empire would be so relentless in attacking that they’d even bring those demonic beast things… He only hoped the others were able to make it out safely.

The ruins of the monastery were mostly clear of danger, save for an occasional imperial soldier. Jeralt was able to avoid them, and once he finally made it across the bridge leading into Garreg Mach, he paused, catching his breath.

He glanced back at the ruins of the monastery, standing high and mighty above its surroundings. It was a place he had once hoped to never return to, but over the years it became a place he always ended up returning to. It was where he met Sitri, where Byleth was born, where the war started, and where he thought he’d lost his son forever.

Now he only hoped he would be leaving it for good.

After catching his breath, he continued on his way. He had little energy left, and had a few minor wounds, but he knew he had to keep going. Byleth told him that his old students set up a camp in what remained of Remire village, so that’s where he headed. He knew the way there very well.

While he walked, he couldn’t help but worry about Byleth. It seemed likely that he was able to escape before things got too bad, but whether he had been able to escape with Yuri he was not certain about. Of course, he hoped they were both safe, but he supposed he’d find out for sure once he arrived at the village.

There was one other thing he couldn’t get out of his mind now that he had time to think. The thing Byleth had said to him that he never thought he’d hear his son say about anyone.

It baffled him. Had he really meant it in _that_ kind of way? He couldn’t even remember the last time he had heard Byleth use the word ‘love’ when referring to a person.

One thing he did know was that he owed Yuri an apology. He still was angry at himself for falling so easily for Aelfric’s lies, when all along Yuri was risking his life to keep Byleth safe. But even now, he could scarcely believe some of the things Aelfric had done. To think he was the one who imprisoned Byleth to take the crest stone from his heart made his blood boil even now, even when he knew Aelfric lay dead somewhere in Abyss.

And what had he been trying to do with Sitri? He still wasn’t sure if it was some kind of illusion or if Rhea had somehow magically preserved her body, but the fact that Aelfric knew she was there in that chamber seemed very odd to Jeralt in retrospect.

He shook the thoughts from his head and attempted to pick up his pace. The sun was beginning to set on what had become a very long day, and he was losing strength in addition to sunlight. Eventually his thoughts solely focused on putting one foot in front of the other.

When he finally reached the village, the sun had nearly set. In what light remained, he could see all the tents spread across the village, among the ruined houses. Between bandits, that awful experiment Solon had done, and the war, there wasn’t much left of Remire village. Perhaps eventually he could change that.

He nearly collapsed when he made it into the village. He sat by the first campfire he found, trying his best to stay awake, at least long enough to see if Byleth was there.

It didn’t take long for someone to see him. A familiar looking blue-haired kid, probably one of Byleth’s old students, rushed toward him.

“Captain Jeralt! You… you made it!”

He nodded. “Is Byleth here?”

“Yeah, he’s sleeping. We were all worried about you though! Are you injured? Linhardt is here, so he can heal--”

“I’m fine. Just minor wounds. I… just want to make sure Byleth is all right.”

“Oh! Of course. We made a space for you in his tent.” He pointed toward one tent in particular. “Over there. Should find some rations in there, too. And here,” he said, holding out an extra lantern. “It’s getting dark.” 

He thanked him, then rushed toward the tent, lantern in hand. He entered, nearly tripping over some supplies in the corner of the cramped space. After stumbling to sit on the empty bedroll, he glanced at the one directly next to him.

And there, curled up next to Yuri, was Byleth, sound asleep.

Jeralt smiled, extinguished the lantern, and let sleep finally take him.

* * *

Yuri sat on the edge of the camp under the shade of a tree. He still thought the sun was far too bright, but he supposed he ought to get used to it sooner rather than later. He was doubtful he’d go back to Abyss anytime soon.

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw Byleth approaching with a frown. Without a word, he sat down beside Yuri.

“I’m guessing he didn’t take it well?” Yuri asked.

Byleth sighed. “As well as you’d expect. I just… I’ve never seen Hubert show so much emotion before. It was hard to watch.” He glanced down. “Anyway, he already said he wants Ferdinand to be the new emperor.”

Yuri tilted his head. “Really, now?”

Byleth nodded. “I think it’s a good choice. It seems Hubert respects Ferdinand more than he shows it.”

“A good choice indeed.”

He sighed again. “I’m just glad it’s all over.” He glanced up at Yuri. “Have you heard from Ashe?”

“Yeah, he made it to the camp. We decided that the refugees from Abyss will come live here. Not many people living here anymore, anyway.”

Byleth nodded, pondering for a moment. “Does that mean you’ll stay here?”

He hesitated a moment, realizing what Byleth was asking. “I… think I will. My people still need me, after all.”

Byleth glanced down, frowning. “Hubert and Ferdinand want me to go to Enbarr with them. To help rebuild the empire.”

Yuri had a feeling that would be the case. “Is that… what you want to do?”

“I… don’t know yet.”

Yuri nodded. “Well, you’ve got time to decide.” He forced a smile. “I’ll come visit you if you do end up in Enbarr.”

Byleth smiled faintly, but it disappeared quickly. Then he stood with a sigh. “I’ll… let you know what I decide.”

As Yuri watched him walk away, he knew that no matter what, he would accept what Byleth wanted to do. Even if it broke his heart.

* * *

Byleth returned to the tent to think. He was currently its sole occupant, and it was a nice way to separate himself from everyone else.

He pulled his knees to his chest and let out a sigh. He had become so used to just going along with what he was expected to do that he had given up on having his own choices about his life.

Helping to rebuild the empire was the right thing to do in his mind. Fodlan was in a bad state as it was, and fixing it would be a long and difficult task. But… he wasn’t sure if it was what he wanted to do, exactly.

After pondering by himself for a long while, vexed with indecisiveness, someone else entered the tent.

“Oh, there you are,” Jeralt said. “Are you… all right?”

Byleth tried to tell him he was fine, but instead he could only frowned.

Jeralt sat beside him, clearly concerned. “You seem a bit down. Did something happen?”

He hugged his knees closer. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Is this about your old students?”

He nodded. “They want me to help rebuild the empire. But…”

“But you don’t want to.”

He almost didn’t want to admit it. “I feel like it’s the right thing to do. To help the most people. But… I… I feel like I’ll just be manipulated again. I feel like I’ve never been able to make my own decisions about my life.”

Jeralt remained quiet for a long moment. “What is it that _you_ want to do?”

“I’m not sure. I think… maybe…” He felt ashamed even admitting it to himself. Surely he’d just get in the way if he stayed in the village with Yuri. He had so many people to look after that Byleth probably wasn’t worth his time. Now that they didn’t have a reason to spend time together, he wondered if Yuri’s feelings for him would fade.

“Is this about Yuri?”

He nodded sheepishly.

“Listen, Byleth. Your own happiness matters the most. You gotta choose what feels right for you. Don’t let anyone else tell you what that is.”

“It’s just that…” he sighed. “Yuri wants to stay here and help rebuild. I’m not sure if I… even have a place in his life.”

Jeralt looked at him sadly, then went quiet for a moment. “You know, I had forgotten about this until now, but, I… think you should hear it.”

Byleth looked at him curiously.

“Back when… we rescued you, at first I thought Yuri just wanted to pay you back for helping him or something. But when he saw the state you were in… I could tell he was devastated. Once we got you to safety and all the fighting was over, he started crying even before I did.” He frowned, pondering for a moment. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that, I think he cares a lot about you. From what I can tell, I think he’d be happy to have you in his life.”

Byleth blinked at him, speechless.

“So if you want to stay here, I think you should. Don’t let the empire take even more from you. I know they’re your old students, but if they respect you, they’ll respect your decision. And… well, I was thinking about staying here, too, actually.”

He smiled, taking a moment to ponder his father’s words. “Thank you for telling me that.”

Jeralt smiled back at him. “Any time, kid.”

“I need to tell him,” Byleth said before leaving the tent, hearing his father’s chuckle as he exited.

It didn’t take him long to find Yuri. He was among the rations for the refugees, organizing the supplies away from the rest of the camp. He looked up as Byleth approached. “Hey, By. You doing all right?”

“I’m staying,” he said immediately, unable to keep it to himself any longer.

Yuri blinked at him. “Staying… here?”

Byleth glanced away, feeling the nervousness take hold completely. “Yes. I want to stay with you, if that’s all right. You mean a lot to me.”

Yuri gently placed a hand on his cheek, smiling back at him. “You mean a lot to me, too.”

For a moment he could only stare into his eyes, his beautiful, kind, understanding eyes. It was then he realized with certainty that he had made the right decision. He felt no shame. This was his life, and he was in control of it.

“I love you.” To his surprise, the words formed effortlessly, lacking any doubt or shame.

Yuri smiled. “I love you too, By.”

Then he embraced him, and for a long moment, they remained in the comfort of each other’s arms, letting their past worries drift away.


	11. Epilogue

_Never thought I’d see this journal again. Might as well write another entry. It’s been years since the last. And for old time’s sake, might as well continue the trend. Goddess, I wish she were here. I miss her just as much as the day she left this world._

_Sitri, I can hardly recognize our son. He’s been happier than he ever has in his entire life. For once, he’s living his life as he chooses-- no fighting, no following orders… just living._

_And he found someone to share his life with. I’ll admit that I was surprised when I found out he had feelings for someone, but I’m happy for him. They have their own house in the village we rebuilt. Next to mine, of course._

_For the first time since he was born I feel like we’re actually a family. We’re only missing you._

_But every time I see him smile, I’m reminded that a part of you is still here with me. And I’ll cherish that for as long as I live._


End file.
